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American Yacht Racing Rules 



































































START OF N. Y. Y. C. “FIFTIES” 

ANNUAL REGATTA OF NEW YORK YACHT CLUB 

26 JUNE, 1913 








Handbook on 

American Yacht Racing Rules 

An Explanation of their Meaning and Application 



H. de B. Parsons 


Joseph M. Macdonough 
Frederic O. Spedden 



SECOND EDITION 


YACHTING, Inc. 

New York 


1923 


Crisis' 

Tzu 

1^3 


Copyright by YACHTING INC. 
1023 



AUG -7 1923 

© Cl A 7118 5 8 


Ifbtratum 


THIS WORK IS DEDICATED TO THE TRUE SAILOR, WHETHER 
BEFORE THE MAST OR ON THE QUARTERDECK, ON 
WHOSE SKILL AND ALERTNESS THE VICTORY 


SO MUCH DEPENDS 



Preface to First Edition 


The object of this work is to guide the beginner 
and aid others to an understanding of the underly¬ 
ing principles of the yacht racing rules, and to explain, 
as clearly as possible, their interpretations, as ac¬ 
cepted by helmsmen of experience. 

The Rules of the International Yacht Racing 
Union, while substantially the same as those in use 
in the United States, differ in some particulars. When 
no difference exists between the American and the 
International Rules, it has been found advisable to 
accept the interpretations of the Council of the 
Y. R. A. of Great Britain. 

The Authors have confined themselves to an in¬ 
terpretation of the rules as at present in existence, 
and have refrained from any expression of opinion 
on the excellence of the rules as they stand. 

As it is perfectly well understood, that all Race Com¬ 
mittees are omniscient, hydra-headed, and, therefore, 
all-seeing, and that all yachtsmen, at the end of their 
first season’s racing, are thoroughly conversant with 
the intricacies of the Racing Rules, it may well be 
asked why this book was written. 

The Authors, associated for several years on the 
Race Committee of a well-known yacht club, have the 
temerity to doubt the truth of the above soul-satisfy¬ 
ing assumption, and have found that there is, even 

ix 


among experienced helmsmen and race committees, 
some diversity of opinion as to the meaning of the 
Racing Rules and their application in actual racing. 
Therefore, it has been suggested that a few words in 
explanation would not be out of place. 

It is fair to assume, from the history of the sport, 
that changes will continue to be made in the Racing 
Rules, and it is the Authors’ hope that a study of this 
book may be of assistance, when planning construc¬ 
tive work in the future. 

The Authors wish to make acknowledgment for 
the interesting and illuminating material, of which 
they have made use, contained in the Rules of the Inter¬ 
national Yacht Racing Union and in the Helmsman’s 
Handbook, by B. Heckstall-Smith. 

The Authors. 

New York, 1915. 


x 


Preface to Second Edition 


“Here lies the body of William Jay f 
Who died maintaining his right of way. 

Now William was right as he sped along, 

But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong." 

The first edition of this work was published for the 
purpose of explaining the meaning of the measurement 
and racing rules in use by the leading yacht clubs in 
the United States, and to provide a receptacle for 
constructive criticism by an ever-growing number of 
devotees of the sport. 

That the Handbook has, to a certain extent, justified 
its existence may be deduced from the fact that the 
First Edition was exhausted, and that the Second Edi¬ 
tion is issued in response to an insistent demand. 

It is the opinion of many yachtsmen, including the 
Authors, that, owing to the absence of a national au¬ 
thority like the Y.R.A. (Yacht Racing Association) in 
Great Britain, yacht racing conditions in the United 
States are not entirely satisfactory. 

Different committees have been known to view the 
same rules from different standpoints, and a yacht 
might be disqualified by one committee for an action 
which would have passed unnoticed by another com¬ 
mittee. Slight change in American racing rules would 
make them conform to the International rules and 


XI 


to the Y.R.A. interpretations, and bring the United 
States in line with all other yachting countries. 

The American measurement rule has proved on the 
whole satisfactory, and appears to be the best rule 
so far proposed. It encourages the able designer, who 
once was defined as the man who could produce a 
winning yacht “containing the largest amount of cabin 
space with the smallest amount of sail area.” It may 
prove necessary to adopt some scantling restrictions 
to eliminate dangerously light construction. 

The America’s Cup races in 1920 were conducted, 
by common consent, under the interpretations given 
in the first edition of the Handbook, and a committee 
of the New York Yacht Club on measurement and 
racing rules decided in 1922 to recommend no altera¬ 
tions of the racing rules. Therefore, the Authors have 
adhered to the interpretations given in the First Edi¬ 
tion, but have added some additional explanations to 
make the subject clearer. 

The Authors. 

New York, 1923. 


CONTENTS 


Preface to First Edition 
Preface to Second Edition 

CHAPTER 

I. Foreword .... 

II. Race Committee 

III. Time Allowance 

IV. Racing Rules 

V. Instructions to Measurer 

VI. Methods of Scoring Points 

VII. Protests and Decisions 

VIII. Time Allowance Table 

Index . 


PAGE 

ix 

xi 

1 

5 

7 

16 

123 

132 

145 

188 

199 


Xlll 












ILLUSTRATIONS' 


Frontispiece 

FIGURE PAGE 

I. Curve of Speeds. 11 

II. Equipment of Anchors and Cables 45 

III. Weights of Yacht Anchors . . 46 

IV. Overlapping. 68 

V. Risk of Fouling and Clear . . 70 

VI. Drawn Clear. 72 

VII. Right-of-Way at Starting Line . 75 

VIII. Gybing to Claim Right-of-Way . 86 

IX. Carried Past a Mark .... 90 

X. Right-of-Way after Tacking . 93 

XI. Right-of-Way on Tacking at a Mark 95 

XII. Rounding a Starting Mark . . 99 

XIII. Vessel Anchored in Course . . 101 

XIII-2. Vessel Sailing an Obstruction . 102 

XIV. Forcing a Yacht to Tack at a Mark 103 

XV. Going Fairly Round a Course . 117 

XVI. Protest under Rule XII., Section 8 164 

XVII. Protest under Rule XII., Section 9 168 

XVIII. Protest under Rule XII., Section 9 173 

XIX. Protest under Rule XIX., Section 2 181 


XV 



HANDBOOK ON AMERICAN 
YACHT RACING RULES 

CHAPTER I 
Foreword 

Yacht racing is so diversified in its interest and has 
such a varying field of activity, as always to be at¬ 
tractive. It calls for those attributes which may make 
a true sportsman, namely, a happy winner and a 
cheerful loser. The pleasures, the excitements and 
risks, the outdoor life and companionship, the knowl¬ 
edge of the sea, of the weather, and of navigation, 
the cool head and quick mind when danger is immi¬ 
nent, all tend to make the man. 

The first regatta of the New York Yacht Club, the 
parent organization of this country, was held on July 
17, 1845, and the racing rules, at that date, were the 
international rules for the prevention of collisions at 
sea with but few modifications. To provide better 
sport and to restrict the dashing and risky maneuvers 
of helmsmen it was found advisable to make, from 
time to time, certain additions to the rules. 

It will be noted that these additions, on the one 
hand, have taken the form of permissions to depart 


1 


from the provisions of the international rules to pre¬ 
vent collisions at sea, while, on the other hand, they 
have been made to define the limits of such departures. 

Again, to guard against danger of fouls, when ap¬ 
proaching marks and obstructions, owing to the in¬ 
creasing number of competitors, a new set of regu¬ 
lations had to be devised in order to minimize the 
danger and, at the same time, to preserve the sporting 
possibilities. 

The growth of the sport has necessitated various 
changes in the rules for measurement, classification 
and racing; and in the New York Yacht Club alone, 
from 1845 to the present time, no less than eleven 
committees have been appointed to consider revisions 
of the rules. The years, in which these committees 
and conferences made changes, are here given: 

1858 Revision of racing rules. 

1883 Committee on measurement. 

1889 Committee on measurement. 

1895 Committee on racing rules. 

1902 Committee on measurement. 

1906 Committee on racing rules. 

Conference with other clubs. 

1908 Conference on measurement and racing rules. 

1912 Committee on measurement and racing rules. 
Conference with other clubs and organiza¬ 
tions. 

1922 Committee added class FF. 

In Great Britain, from the formation of the Yacht 
Racing Association in 1875, to the addition of explana¬ 
tory footnotes in the Y. R. A. Rules of 1912, there has 


2 


been the same evolution. The International Racing 
Rules were adopted, December 4, 1907, by the National 
Authorities in the following countries, to remain 
in force for ten years. The world war, 1914 to 1919, 
interrupted yachting and changes have not been 
made. 

Argentine Republic, 

Austria-Hungary, 

Denmark, 

Finland, 

France, 

Germany, 

Great Britain, 

Holland and Belgium, 

Italy, 

Norway, 

Russia, 

Spain, 

Sweden. 

The international rating or measurement rule is of 
Danish origin, while the racing rules are mainly (if not 
altogether) founded on British experience. 

It would be well, perhaps, at this point to draw at¬ 
tention to the “proper course” interpretation, taken 
from the footnotes of the Y. R. A. of Great Britain 
Rules for 1912. This proper course interpretation 
does not limit a helmsman to the shortest possible 
course between marks, taking tide, wind, and other 
conditions into consideration, but does render him li¬ 
able to disqualification on protest if he prevents a 
competitor sailing his proper course. However, this 


3 


interpretation does not permit a leeward yacht to 
force a windward yacht to tack, in order that the 
leeward yacht may sail on her proper course. Further¬ 
more, the practice of “tacking down wind'’ is not nec¬ 
essarily a deviation from a yacht’s proper course. 

In deciding all cases of protest, the burden of proof 
should lie on the yacht which does not hold right-of- 
way, under the rule on which the protest is founded. 


4 


CHAPTER II 


The Committee 

1 he name “Regatta Committee” is a relic of the days 
when there was only one yacht club, 1 whose chief event 
was an annual regatta. As now nearly all yacht clubs 
schedule a number of races each season, the name 
“Race Committee” is more suitable, and has been 
adopted by most clubs. 

The committee usually is composed of three or five 
members. A committee of three, if each will bear his 
share of the labors, is preferable to a larger com¬ 
mittee of five members. If there is likelihood of some 
members being absent on race days, or if the committee 
has to set the various signals without the aid of assist¬ 
ants, the larger committee would be better. The num¬ 
ber of members on the Race Committee, therefore, is 
chiefly determined by the conditions obtaining in the 
respective clubs. 

The Committeemen should have yachting experi¬ 
ence, but need not be expert helmsmen. While a com¬ 
petent committeeman does not have to be an expert 
sailor, he should have such sailing experience and 
judicial turn of mind, that he can draft proper in¬ 
structions and pass correct opinions. 

In drafting sailing instructions, the greatest care 
should be observed to avoid all ambiguity in wording. 
The instructions should be as short as clearness will 

1 The New York Yacht Club, organized in 1844. 

5 



permit and all superfluous sentences should be omitted. 
In conducting a race, the Committee should be ac¬ 
curate both in carrying out the details and in timing 
the various signals, so as not to mislead any of the 
competing yachts. 

Committees make use of certain abbreviations and, 
for sake of clearness, the same abbreviations should 
always be used. These abbreviations are initial letters 
and their meanings are as below: 


Abbreviations 

N.M. Not measured; or no measurement on file. 
D.N.S. Did not start. 

D. N.F. Did not finish. 

T.N.T. Time not taken. 

R. M. Rating measurement. 

S. p.M. Seconds per mile, for calculating time allow- 

• ance. 

E. T. Actual elapsed time. 

T. A. • Time allowance. 

C.T. Corrected time. 

Disq. Disqualified. 


Force 

0 .. 

1 .. 

2 .. 

3.. 

4.. 

5.. 

6 .. 

7.. 

8 .. 
9.. 

10 .. 

11 .. 

12 .. 


Beauford Wind Scale 


Designation 

Calm . 

, Light air. 

Light breeze.... 
Gentle breeze... 
Moderate breeze 
Fresh breeze.... 
Strong breeze ... 
Moderate gale... 
Fresh gale. 
Strong gale 
Whole gale 
Storm .. 
Hurricane 


Miles per Hour 
From 0 to 3 
Over 3 to 8 
Over 8 to 13 
Over 13 to 18 
Over 18 to 23 
Over 23 to 28 
Over 28 to 34 
Over 34 to 40 
Over 40 to 48 
Over 48 to 56 
Over 56 to 65 
Over 65 to 75 
Over 75 


6 




























CHAPTER III 


Time Allowance 

All sporting events belong to one of two classes, viz.: 
championship and handicap events. In the former, 
each contestant is treated alike and without favor, the 
object being to determine the victor without regard to 
individual characteristics, merits, or shortcomings. In 
the latter, the object is to obtain a more equal contest 
among the competitors and to give to each an even 
chance of winning. Thus, the larger or speedier con¬ 
testant is handicapped in order that the smaller or 
slower contestant may have an equal opportunity for 
winning. 

In general, the handicapping is done by an individual 
or a committee in some predetermined, arbitrary man¬ 
ner, and the contestants are arranged according to 
merit. 

Nearly all yacht races are handicap events, the handi¬ 
capping appearing either in the rules for measurement 
or in the time allowances. As under ordinary condi¬ 
tions, the longer vessel will sail faster than the shorter, 
it is necessary to have some form of handicapping, if 
vessels of unequal size are to be raced against one 
another. 

After the rating measurement of a yacht is deter¬ 
mined according to fixed rules, arbitrarily made for that 


7 


purpose, the handicap consists in an allowance to the 
smaller by the larger yacht of a certain number of 
minutes and seconds. This number of minutes and 
seconds may be dependent on the length of the race in 
nautical miles, as is the more usual, or on the elapsed 
times of the yachts, i. e., the times from the starting to 
the finishing of the race. 

These two systems are similar in principle, because 
each is based on the assumption, that a yacht can sail 
at a definite speed under average conditions of wind, 
sea, and tide. Time allowance based on distance is the 
more convenient, because all allowances can be worked 
out in advance of the finish, yachts’ corrected times 
promptly announced, and the winner declared without 
delay. With allowances based on elapsed times, each 
yacht must finish before her elapsed time can be de¬ 
termined, and a delay is occasioned in calculating 
the allowance. 

A time allowance table, based on an allowance per 
mile, has been worked out on the following principles. 

A yacht is assumed to be able to sail, during a race, 
under favorable conditions of wind and sea at a certain 
racing-speed. 

If, therefore, two yachts are taken, whose racing- 
speeds are denoted by S and s nautical miles per hour, 

then the times required to sail one mile would be - 
T S 

and - respectively, in fractional parts of an hour. 

The difference in times would be the amount that 
the larger yacht would beat the smaller in a one-mile 


8 


race, so that the larger yacht S would have to allow the 
smaller s, a handicap or time allowance of 

i i 

s“T 


for every nautical mile in the race, in order that each 
might have an equal chance of winning. 

Expressing this time allowance in seconds per nauti¬ 
cal mile, 


T.A. = 


3600 

s 


3600 

S 


since there are 3600 seconds in each hour. 

Formula (1) would be an accurate formula, provided 
correct values could 'be given to s and S. As the racing 
speeds are not determinable in advance, other values 
have to be substituted for s and S. It has been 
found by experience that a yacht’s racing speed is 
approximately proportional to the square root of the 
yacht’s length. Therefore formula (1) becomes 


3600 _ 3600 

VT v L 


( 2 ) 


By “racing-speed” is meant the average under favorable 
conditions, and not the maximum speed at which a 
yacht will sail. 

Yachts are measured according to some rule which 
embodies the elements of speed. The result of such 
measurement gives a value for rating measurement, 
known as the yacht’s R.M. This rating measurement 
is equivalent to the yacht’s racing length. By substi¬ 
tuting R.M. for L in (2), the formula becomes 


3600 3600 

T ' A ' = VR-M. 



9 














It has been found by experience that this formula 
gives time allowances which are too large, and in order 
to secure results more in agreement with speeds actual¬ 
ly obtained, various constants were introduced. 

The average speeds of various yachts in different 
races were recorded in seconds per mile, by dividing 
the elapsed times by the distances. The results were 
plotted, ordinates being time in seconds to sail one 
mile, and abscissas the yachts’ R.M.s. As is shown 
in Figure I, a fair curve was drawn between the 
plotted points. 

This curve is parabolic, and its mathematical expres¬ 
sion is given in formula (4). Its solution is the time in 
seconds required by a yacht to sail one nautical mile, 
under usual average conditions of racing. 


/(3600) 

Racing-speed = .< 4 > 

in which f and C are constants. 

Prior to 1909, the value of / was taken at 0.7 and C 
at 154.24, so that formula (3) became 


T.A. = .07 


3600 


3600 


V r - m. \/RM. 


( 5 ) 


As this still gave too great an allowance, it was re¬ 
duced by assuming f at 0.6 and C at 183.64. Therefore 
the time in seconds fof a yacht to sail one mile would 
be 

/ 3600 \ 2160 

Racing-speed=0.6(^ 1S )+183.64=^==-f 183.64 
















Figure I 


11 


fO 70 60 90 /OO //O 720 

rtatz/yg Sfeajvrr/ete/rts 



































The time allowance per mile, in seconds, between 
yachts of different rating's would be 

( 3600 3600 \ 2160 2160 

—= - —— 1-—=_- -r ... (7) 

V r - m - \/r.m. \/R.M. 

Formula (7) is the one by which the time allowance 
table has been calculated. Experience has shown that 
it produces very fair results, and that yachts of widely 
different ratings may be raced against each other. The 
time allowance table is given in Chapter VIII. 

In explanation of Figure I., the dots have been placed 
to scale, to represent the average speeds of yachts of 
different ratings, by dividing their actual elapsed times 
in numerous races by the lengths of the races. A fair 
curve between the recorded dots, extended to 150 rat¬ 
ing measurement, shows a speed at that rating of one 
nautical mile in 360 seconds, or 6 minutes, or 10 knots. 
Substituting in Formula (4), with /=0.6, gives 



Speed = 360 — 


2160 

— - : - 1 - C 

VR. M. 


For R.M. — 150. 

Racing Speed = 360 = 176.36 -f- 183.64. 


An Arbitrary Allowance Based on Elapsed Time 

As yachts become old and are out-built for speed in 
their regular classes, they can be raced in so-called 
“Handicap Classes,” and still have good competitive 
sport. In these handicap classes, the time allowance 
is arbitrarily figured in percentage of elapsed time. 


12 












An official handicapper is chosen, who divides the 
yachts into classes, approximately according to speed 
and size. He keeps a record of all performances, to 
aid him in handicapping for subsequent events, and 
he sends the handicap percentages to a Club the day 
before its race. 

To illustrate; suppose yachts A, B and C are racing. 
Before the race starts, the handicapper allots A one 
per cent., B scratch or no per cent., and C A]/ 2 per cent. 
After the race, the committee find the elapsed time 
for A is 3 :10:00, for B is 3 :09:00, and for C is 3 :20:00. 
The elapsed time in seconds are 11,400 and 12,000 for 
A and C respectively. Then they would deduct 1 
per cent, from 11,400 and 4 y 2 per cent, from 12,000; re¬ 
duce back to hours, minutes and seconds; and record 
the corrected times for yacht A as 3 :08:06, for yacht 
B as 3:09:00, and for yacht C as 3:11:00. 

If a yacht wins the allowance for the next race is 
made less, and, vice versa, if a yacht loses its allowance 
is increased. Thus, it will be seen that it is only a 
matter of number of races before a yacht must win, 
since the allowance is based on speed as actually shown 
in races, and not on theoretical speed as based on 
length. 

The advantages of this plan of handicapping are that 
yachts may race whose normal speeds are slow, and 
that yachts may compete without the expense of 
cleaning at short intervals or purchasing new sails. 
In consequence these handicap classes have proven 
attractive to many yachts racing on Long Island 
Sound. 


13 




In the New York Yacht Club, a set of rules for rac¬ 
ing older yachts was made in 1908, so as to embody 
the two advantages just mentioned. They have not 
been used enough to thoroughly test them, but are 
given as further information. 


Handicap Class Rules of the New York Yacht Club 


1. A yacht shall not be eligible to enter a handicap 
race until the third season after the date of launching. 

2. Yachts in a handicap class shall sail in cruising 
trim, and in addition, lug foresails on schooners shall 
be barred. 


3. Yachts shall be rated for handicapping accord¬ 
ing to the average of actual speeds, in seconds per 
nautical mile, in five races sailed, which races shall be 
selected by the Handicap Committee. 

4. The percentage which the fastest yacht shall 
allow any other yacht shall be calculated by the 
formula: 


Percentage = 




X 100. 


where F is the speed of the fastest yacht and Q the 
speed of the yacht in question, both in seconds per mile. 
For convenience the nearest tenth of one per cent, 
shall be used. 

5. The Handicap Committee shall have power to 
omit for handicapping purposes races in which the 
speed in seconds per mile of the fastest yacht in the 
handicap class exceeds 150 per cent, of F. 


14 


6. The elapsed time of a yacht which finishes ahead 
and is disqualified for any cause, will not be used 
in determining the value of F. 

7. A yacht not starting in one or more races shall 
retain the last handicap assigned to her. 

8. Yachts which have no suitable racing record 
will be arbitrarily handicapped according to the judg¬ 
ment of the Handicapping Committee, whose judg¬ 
ment shall be final, until such yacht has sailed five 
races. 

9. The racing rules of the Club shall govern handi¬ 
cap classes, with the exception of those which specifi¬ 
cally refer to rating measurement and regular time 
allowance. 

10. The Handicap Committee may divide the yachts 
into two divisions, one for schooners and one for sloops 
and yawls. The Committee may further endeavor 
to divide each division into classes according to speed. 
The matter of such division shall be left with the 
Committee with power, and its decision shall be final. 


15 


CHAPTER IV 


Racing Rules 

The present rules, governing yacht racing in the 
United States, were drafted, in 1906, at a conference of 
representatives from the Atlantic, Corinthian of Mar¬ 
blehead, Corinthian of Philadelphia, Eastern, Larch- 
mont, and New York Yacht Clubs, and from the 
Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound, the 
Yacht Racing Association of Massachusetts, and the 
Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes. These rules 
were amended in 1908 and 1912, and were adopted by 
the various clubs during the spring of 1913. 

As the racing rules differ from the international rules 
for prevention of collision at sea, it will be of great 
assistance, before making a closer study, to keep in 
mind the following fundamental principles, which di¬ 
vide a race into three periods. 

Fundamental Principles 

In yacht racing there are three periods which must be 
observed, viz.:—before the Preparatory Signal, be¬ 
tween the Preparatory Signal and the Starting Sig¬ 
nal, and after the Starting Signal. 

1. Before the Preparatory Signal. 

Before the preparatory signal yachts are amenable 
only to the ordinary international regulations (for 
merchant ships) for preventing collisions at sea. 


16 


2. Between the Preparatory and Starting Signals. 

Before the starting signal no question of proper 
course can arise and a yacht holding right-of-way 
may alter course in any reasonable manner, but a 
leeward yacht under overlapping conditions may not 
start a luff, when in position where by Racing Rule 
XII., Sec. 6, Clause (a) she would be forbidden to 
continue to luff. 

3. After the Starting Signal. 

There is a specified or proper course. As there is 
now a proper course, a yacht holding right-of-way 
must not prevent another yacht from crossing the 
starting line, and may be disqualified on protest if she 
obstructs the other by sailing a course unreasonably 
wide of her own proper course for the next mark. 

These fundamental principles, on which the racing 
rules have been constructed, become clearer when one 
is familiar with them and realizes that their object is 
to encourage a fair and friendly spirit of contest. 

A yacht race is designed to determine which yacht 
will show superior speed in a fair contest over a 
definite course. The definite or proper course is the 
course specified by a committee in its instructions, 
and yachts are not permitted to start until after the 
starting signal. 

Definition of Proper Course 

The proper course is, prima facie , nothing to lee¬ 
ward of full and by if on a wind, or to the next mark 
if the wind be free. There may be conditions of tide 
or circumstances which justify a deviation from the 


17 


proper or definite course, but in case of a protest the 
responsibility for proving the justification for such 
a deviation would lie upon the yacht so deviating. 

Before the Preparatory Signal, the racing rules are 
not in effect. After the Preparatory, the race has com¬ 
menced in the sense that the yachts are amenable to 
the rules, but there is no definite course on which to 
sail. After the Starting Signal, there is a definite 
course on which the yachts are ordered to proceed, 
and a yacht, holding right-of-way during the period 
when there was no course, must now let another yacht 
cross the starting line and proceed on her course, if 
the latter should desire to do so. 

A yacht may sail where she pleases, provided she 
does not prevent an adversary from sailing her defi¬ 
nite or proper course to the next mark, if she so desires. 
Positions may arise, under peculiar conditions of tide, 
wind and overtaking, whereby a yacht holding 
right-of-way may compel an adversary to deviate from 
the proper course. The rules do not permit a yacht 
(seeking to go on her proper course) to force an 
adversary about, but a yacht preventing another from 
sailing the definite or specified course must justify 
her action in order that the race shall be a fair contest 
of superior speed. 

' RULE I 

This rule relates to measurements for Classification 
and determination of Rating Measurement (R. M.), 
from which Time Allowance is calculated. The rule is 
liable to be amended, from time to time, as it is difficult 
to frame a rule which will prevent the production of 


18 


freak yachts. The main objects of the measurement 
rule are to produce yachts both good for racing and 
suitable for cruising, as well as to prevent the con¬ 
struction of purely racing machines. 

Such explanations as have been thought necessary 
are given between the various paragraphs. 

The rules are quoted in italics, while the Authors’ 
explanations are in ordinary type. 

Measurement for Classification and Time Allowance 1 

Yachts shall he rated for classification and time allow¬ 
ance according to the following formula: 


Measurement— o. 18 


L.y/S.A. 

i/~DT 


r Eighteen per cent, of the 
product of length multiplied 
. by the square root of sail 
area divided by the cube 
_ root of displacement. 


The result is the measurement' and rating for classifica¬ 
tion and time allowance of sloops. Yawls shall he rated 
at 93 per cent., and schooners at 90 per cent., of their 
measurement as determined from the above formula. 

Measurements shall he made in accordance with the 
provisions of this ride. 


Length 

Before being measured, a yacht must have a u load 
zvater-line plane” established and permanently marked at 
hozv and stern and on each side of the yacht near the point 
of greatest breadth. This plane shall be, as nearly as / 
practicable, the plane of flotation when in racing trim. 

1 Marginal references are to the “Instruction to Measurer” 
which should be read in connection with the Rule for Measure¬ 
ment. See Ghapter V. 


19 







Each side mark shall consist of two equal equilateral 
triangles, whose apices touch at the established plane 
of flotation and whose bases are parallel to such plane. 
The total vertical height of each side mark shall be one 
two-hundredth ( -g-W) of the load water-line length. The 
bow and stern marks shall be four ( 4 ) inches long and 
2 two (<?) inches in vertical height so placed that the bottom 
of the marks shall indicate the position of the established 
plane. 

j When in trim, both under cruising and racing restric¬ 
tions, the vessel floating on an even keel in sea water of 
usual density, both side marks must be cut by the surface 
of the water. 

^ This “load water-line plane” is to be the plane from 
which all calculations are made, including displacement, 
quarter-beam length, and draft. When once established 
it cannot be changed before the beginning of the next 
racing season, unless the yacht has undergone extensive 
alterations in hull. Notice of such alterations must be 
filed with the Measurer at least two weeks prior to the 
S day of any race in which the yacht may start. 

“Load water-line length” (L. W. L.) is the distance 
^ in a straight line between the points farthest forward 
and farthest aft in the established plane and likewise 
“load water-line breadth” is the extreme breadth in the 
' established plane. 

Quarter-beam length (Q. B. L.) shall be measured in a 
2 9 line parallel with the middle fore and aft vertical plane, 
at a distance from it equal to one quarter of the load 
water-line breadth and one tenth of this breadth above 
8 the load water-line plane. 


20 


The length used in calculating the measurement (L. in 
formula) shall he the <( load water-line length” plus one 
half the excess of quarter-beam length over the percent¬ 
age of the load water-line length given by the formula, 

Percentage : = ioo — y/L. W. L. 

provided, however, that in all boats over one hundred 
(ioo) feet L. W. L. the percentage shall be ninety ( 90 ). 

The use of a plane, established by marks on the hull, 
as the basis of hull measurements is very satisfactory 
in practice. It has eliminated the frequent and unsat¬ 
isfactory measurement of length, because in the 
formula the length of water-line is relatively unim¬ 
portant in the determination of rating. In the modern 
yacht, the ratio of L to cube root of displacement 
is so nearly a constant, that slight variations in the 
L. W. L. plane have no appreciable effect upon the 
rating. 

The effect of marking a plane of flotation and meas¬ 
uring the L. W. L. has simplified yacht measuring, and 
has practically eliminated jockeying with the L. W. L., 
so- that owners now realize that the only important 
factor in the determination of the rating is the sail 
area. In fact, the present measurement rule is in effect 
a “sail area” rule. 

Among many owners, the impression exists that 
this plane of flotation marks the actual L. W. L. plane, 
and that the yacht must be kept upon this plane of 
flotation. Many do not realize that they are permitted 
to vary the L. W. L. by ballasting or trimming within 
fixed but generous limits. 


21 



Any concavity at the plane of measurement of the quar¬ 
ter-beam length, in either the quarter-beam buttock or 
TO tenth-beam water-line, shall be bridged by a straight line 
of a length equal to one third ( l /z) of the greatest load 
water-line beam. The center of such straight line, to which 
the quarter-beam length shall be measured, shall be placed 
horizontally opposite the point of measurement. 

Any local concave jog or notch (curved or angular) at 
the plane of measurement of either end of the load water¬ 
line length, shall be bridged by a straight line and the 
L. W. L. taken to the intersection of such lines with the 
established load water-line plane. The stem or stern 
profile lines, where they cross the load water-line plane, 
may be fair easy curves; but any concavity in the stem 
line shall be bridged by a straight line equal to one third 
(Yz) of the greatest load water-line beam, placed equally 
above and below the load water-line plane. The load 
water-line (L. W. L.) shall be measured to the intersec¬ 
tion of this line with the established load water-line plane. 

Measurers should be careful that the lines of meas¬ 
urement are not shortened intentionally to evade the 
true meaning of this clause, which is designed to ob¬ 
tain a fair and sensible yacht, rather than a yacht of 
freakish type. 

Local concave jogs or notches have been “bridged” 
and the length measurement increased. As examples 
of this “bridging,” the English yachts Assegai, in 1879, 
Bonina, in 1882, My Lady Dainty and Nanki Poo, in 
1900, and the German yacht Klabautermann had their 
length measurements increased. 


22 


Sail Area 


The Measurer shall make the following measurements, 
calculate the sail area therefrom in accordance with the 
following formula;, and the square root of this area shall 

be the y/S. A. in the rating formula. 

Mainsail and Topsail of Sloops, Schooners, and Yawls, 
and Mizzen and Topsail of Three-masted Schooners 

B. Length of boom measured from after-side of mast II 
to outboard end 

G. Length of gaff, when lying on top of the boom, 12 
measured from the after-side of mast to outboard end. 

P. A perpendicular to be measured along the after- 
side of the mast from the top of the highest sheave in the /j 

mast or topmast, or from the juncture of the mast or top¬ 
mast with the eyebolt or pennant of the highest halyard 
block, to the upper side of the boom when touching the j^ 

upper part of the goose-neck. /j 

In yachts which carry the upper halyard block on a 
pennant, the upper point of measurement shall be the 
point at which the pennant is fastened to the mast. 

H. A perpendicular to be measured along the after- 

side of the .mast from the upper side of the boom, when 
touching the upper part of the goose-neck, to the lower jj 

edge of a black band y at least one inch in width, upon the 16 
mast, above which mark the throat cringle of the main - if 

‘ sail shall not be hoisted. 

D. The diagonal shall be calculated as follows : 

D = o.p6 \IB 2 +H 2 


23 




iS 


T. The length of the leech of the working topsail or 
jib-header to be measured from the sail when dry and 
stretched hard taut. 

The area of the mainsail in sloops, schooners, and 
yawls, and of the mizzen in three-masted schooners and 
in yawls shall be obtained from the above measurements 
by multiplying B by H, and G by D, adding the tivo 
products together, and dividing the result by 2 . 


Formula: 


bxh+gxd 

2 


The area of the working topsail or jib-header shall be 
calculated from area of a triangle whose three sides are G, 
P — H, and T. In pole-masted vessels carrying sprit top¬ 
sails, the length from the highest point of the sprit to the 
upper point of measurement of H shall be used instead of 
P—H in computing the area of the topsail. 


Foresails of Two-masted Schooners, and Foresails and 
Mainsails of Three-masted Schooners 

B x . The distance to be measured between the fore-side 
/p of mainmast and after-side of foremast. 

P 1 . A perpendicular to be measured along the after- 
side of the foremast from the top of the highest sheave 
in the mast or topmast, or from the juncture of the mast 
or topmast with the eye-bolt or pennant of the highest 
halyard block, to the upper side of the boom, when resting 
against the upper part of the goose-neck. 

The area of the foresail and topsail of schooners shall 
be obtained from these measurements by multiplying B x 
by P x and taking 80 per cent, of the product. 

Formula: 0.80 (B x XP\)- 


24 



The area of the mainsail and topsail in three-masted 
schooners shall be obtained in a similar manner from like 
measurements made on the mainmast and between the 
main and mizzen masts. 

The jib-headed mainsail, or the so called “Marconi” 
or “Bermudian” rig, is being used, but at this writing 
no restriction has been universally adopted. The 
Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound has 
adopted the following restrictions for this rig: 

“The distance from the deck at the aft side of mast 
to the upper halyard sheave or highest point of at¬ 
tachment of halyard, shall not exceed the following: 

In yachts with one mast, 1.7 times the square 
root of the sail area, plus 5. 

In yachts with more than one mast, 1.4 times the 
square root of sail area, plus 5. 

Should this limit be exceeded the excess shall be 
multiplied by two and added to the perpendicular (P) 
in estimating the sail area. 

When a head-board or club is used, the intersection 
of the projection of the leech, with the aft side of mast, 
shall not exceed these limits.” 

Head Sails 

J. The base J to be measured from the fore-side of 
mast (foremast in the case of a schooner) to where the 
line of the luff of the foremost headsail when extended 
cuts the bowsprit, other spar, hull, etc., as the case may 

be. 

P 2 . A perpendicular to be measured along the for¬ 
ward-side of the mast in sloops, cutters, and yawls, and 


25 


21 of the foremast in schooners, from the top of the highest 
sheave in the mast or topmast used for headsails or spin¬ 
naker, or from the juncture of the mast or topmast with 
the eye-bolt or pennant of the highest halyard block used 
for headsails or spinnaker, to the deck. 

The spinnaker boom shall be measured when in posi¬ 
tion and at right angles to the center line of the boat from 
_ „ its outboard end to the center of the mast. 

The length of the spinnaker boom in yachts over 31 feet 
rating shall be limited to the base J of the fore-triangle, 
and in yachts '31 feet rating and under shall be limited to 
40 per cent, of the entire base line determined by the sum 
of B plus J plus the diameter of the mast at the boom 
goose-neck, in single-masted yachts, and by the sum of 
B plus B x plus J plus the diameter of the masts in schooners 
and yawls. Any excess in the length of the spinnaker 
boom over the above limits shall be added to the base J of 
the fore-triangle when computing the area of the head¬ 
sails. 

In all yachts the area of the headsails shall be obtained 
by multiplying J by P 2 , dividing the product by 2 , and 
taking 83 per cent, of the result. 

n 1 o P'XJ 

Formula : 0.83 ___ 

2 

Total Area 

In sloops and cutters the total sail area for purposes 
of measurement shall be the sum of the area of mainsail, 
topsail, and headsails, as calculated by the above method; 
in yawls the sum of the areas of mainsail and topsail, 
mizzen and topsail and headsails; in schooners, the sum 


26 



of the areas of mainsail and topsail, foresail and topsail 
and headsails; in three-masted schooners, the sum of the 
areas of the mizzen, mainsail, foresail, and topsails and 
headsails. 

The number of battens in any single sail shall be limited 
to five for yachts rating 46 feet or over and to four for 
yachts rating wider 46 feet. Length of battens shall not 
exceed the following: Upper and lower battens 10 per 
cent, of the length of the foot of the sail plus one foot; in¬ 
termediate battens 12 per cent, of the length of the foot 
of the sail plus one foot. 

A\ spinnaker may have a headstick or board not longer 
than one twentieth of the length of the spinnaker boom, 
but not a footyard or more than one sheet, or any other 
contrivance for extending the sail to other than a triangu¬ 
lar shape. 

In case a yacht shall carry a square sail, or square 
topsail, or raffee (together or separately) instead of a spin¬ 
naker, the actual area of the same shall be computed; 
and if such area exceed the area of the fore-triangle, the 
excess shall be added in computing the total area for de¬ 
termining the measurement. 

In case a yacht shall carry a forward or jib-stay strut, 
the actual area between the stay and the mast shall be 
calculated, and 85 per cent, of the excess of such area 
over that of the fore-triangle shall be added in computing 
the total area for determining the measurement. 

In case the area of a club-topsail carried by any yacht 
shall exceed 150 per cent, of the area of the working top¬ 
sail or jib-header, such excess shall be added in computing 
the total area for determining the measurement. The 24 


27 


area of the club-topsail shall be found from the measured 
lengths of the three sides. 

Displacement 

D. Displacement to be obtained by weighing or as 
follozvs : 

2$ The load water-line shall be divided into ten equal 
parts and the areas of the immersed cross-sections found 
in square feet. From these areas and the load water¬ 
line length the displacement in cubic feet shall be calcu¬ 
lated by Simpsorfs Rule. 

When the displacement of a yacht has been properly 
ascertained, it need not be redetermined except in case 
of specific protest, or upon notice as provided for in the 
third paragraph under the heading “Length.” 

Limits and Penalties 

The limit of draft of yachts shall be in feet: 

16% of the L. W . L. -f- j.75 

Any excess of draft, exclusive of center-board, as per 
above formula, shall be multiplied by 3 and added to the 
rating; this penalty, however, shall not apply to yachts 
2J launched, or keel laid, prior to January 1, 1909, whose 
draft has not been increased since that date. 

There shall be no limit on the actual displacement of 
yachts, but the cube root of the displacement, D, as used 
in the measurement formula, shall never exceed 

20% of the L. W.L. plus 0.50. 

If the actual displacement is smaller than that allowed 
by this limit, the actual displacement shall be used in 


28 


computing the measurement; if the actual displacement 
be greater, then the limiting value of the cube root of D 
shall be used in computing the measurement. 

A sloop shall not have more than 82% of the sail area 
abaft the mast. 1 

The fore-side of the mainmast of a schooner at the deck 
shall not be farther forward than fifty-five (35%) per 

cent, of the water-line length from fore-end of the water 
line. 

A ketch must have the after-side of the mizzenmast 
forward of the point of immersion aft. 1 

The after-side of the mizzenmast of a yazvl shall not 
be more than ten (10%) per cent, of the water-line length 
abaft of the aftermost point of measurement of the load 
water-line. 

A catboat shall have all the sail area abaft of the mast. 1 

The displacement limit, the bridging of any concavities 
in the measurement of length, and the limiting definitions 
of schooners and yawls shall not apply to yachts in exist¬ 
ence, or contracted for, on January 1, 1913, provided no 
radical change in hull or rig be made subsequent to that 
date. 

Scantlings 2 

The scantlings of yachts of Classes P, Q, R, S, and T 
shall conform to the following restrictions, except that 
these restrictions shall not apply to yachts in existence on 
January 1, 1909: 

1 Rules of Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. 

2 These scantling restrictions are in the Rules of the Y. R. A. 
of Long Island Sound, and are substantially the same as those 
of the Eastern Yacht Club. 


29 



GENERAL FORMULA. Sectional Area in square 
inches of any frame, deckbeam, shelf, clamp, or bilge 
stringer shall be expressed in terms of the square root of 
the displacement in cubic feet times a constant. Thick¬ 
ness in inches of planking, deck, or house deck shall be 
expressed in terms of the cube root of the displacement in 
cubic feet times a constant. The displacement shall be 
that of the yacht as when first measured, and any later 
increase in the same shall not entail a proportional in¬ 
crease in scantlings. 

Frames. Frames to be of white oak. 

On the basis of 12-inch spacing on centers. 

Minimum Sectional Area, ~] heels = \/Z) X 0.2 

v _ 

in square inches, J heads = y/DX 0.12 

Taper betiveen heels and heads to be straight. 

The bevel, due to angle of planking, allozved from these 
areas. 

Shelf or Clamp. To be of hard pine or at least its 
equivalent in weight. 

Minimum} Sectional Area in square inches— V D X 0.4 
to run from stem to transom with taper allowed due to 
yecessary beveling. 

Bilge Stringer. To be of hard pine or at least its 
equivalent in weight. 

Minimum Sectional Area in square inches—X DXo.3. 

To extend at least two thirds the over-all length of the 
boat and to be of full Sectional Area for at least half its 
length, allowing a taper at ends of a 20 per cent, reduction 
of Area. 


30 



Deck Beams. On the basis of 12-inch spacing on 
centers. 

All beams to be of white oak, or at least its equivalent 
in weight. 

Minimum Sectional Area of Main Beams in square 
inches — y/D X 0.3. 

Minimum Sectional Area of Auxiliary Beams in square 
inches = V^X 0.2. 

Minimum Sectional Area of Half Beams in square 
inches = y/ D X 0.15. 

There must be two Main Beams at each mast, one at 
fore-end of cabin house, one (or its equivalent in weight 
at this height) at after end of cabin house, and two at 
each skylight, hatch and companion. 

The Minimum Sectional Area of Main and Auxiliary 
Beams shall be at the center of the beam, allowing a taper 
in molding of 25 per cent, reduction of area at each end. 

Planking. Minimum Thickness in inches — X 
0.16. 

Minimum Thickness in inches = fD X 0.14, if hard 
pine or at least its equivalent in weight is used. 

If, as in the case of double planking, a light wood and 
a heavy wood layer are used to make up the total thickness 
of planking, these formulae shall be applied in direct pro¬ 
portion to the zveight of their respective zvood's. 

Deck and House. Minimum Thickness of deck in 
inches = iyD X 0.75. 

Minimum Thickness of Deck may be reduced one 
eighth inch if canvas covered. 


31 


House Deck. Minimum Thickness in inches = iyD 
X 0.13. 

Minimum Thickness of House Deck may be reduced 
one-eighth inch if canvas covered. 

House Sides and Forzvard End. To be of white oak or 
its equivalent in weight. 

Minimum Thickness in inches — ^D X 0.16. 

Cabin House Restrictions. The cabin house con¬ 
struction of yachts of Classes P and Q shall conform to 
the following restrictions, except that these restrictions 
shall not apply to yachts in existence on January 1, 1909: 

Sides and forward end of Cabin House must be vertical. 

Minimum Area of top of Cabin House and Minimum 
Height above deck of sides and end including cabin top 
must be as given in the table following: 

Class Min. Area Min. Height 

Class P. .31 ft. Measurement 50 sq. feet 8 inches 

Class Q. .23 ft. Measurement 33 sq. feet 7 inches 

Class R. .20 ft. Measurement 23 sq. feet 6 l / 2 inches 

The cabin house restrictions for Class R shall not apply 
to boats in existence on March 10, 1914, provided no sub¬ 
stantial change has been made in their construction since 
March 10, 1914. 

Certificates of Measurement 

The Measurer, or his assistants, shall personally 
28 measure the spars, the load water-line and quarter-beam 
lengths, as established and marked in accordance with 
the section headed “Length ” He may accept drawings, 


32 


dimensions, and calculations of any or all other specified 
measurements when certified to by the designer; but pre¬ 
vious to issuing the certificate of measurement he, or his / 

assistants, shall personally verify the line of flotation. 4. 

Certificates of measurement shall give all the principal 
elements of length, sail area, and displacement used in 
computing the rating, and 1 shall specify whether obtained 
from actual measurements or designer's certificates. Any 
request on the part of the Measurer to the designer for 
calculations of displacement or other factors must give 
length over all, length of established water-line, and 
lengths of overhangs, as actually measured, and shall be 
accompanied by a sketch sufficient to clearly show the 
location of the extreme forward and after points of 
measurement relative to the stem head, taffrail, and es¬ 
tablished load water-line plane. 

If, for any reason, the Measurer shall be of the opinion 
that a yacht is not fairly rated by these measurement 
rules, or that she does not fully or fairly comply with 
their requirements, he shall, after due inquiry, award 
such certificate of rating as he may consider equitable. 

The Measurer’s certificate should always state a 
yacht’s rating to the nearest tenth of a foot. Some 
certificates read to hundredths, or the second place 
of decimals. As time allowances are calculated from 
the nearest tenth, it is best that the actual figure on 
the certificate also be to the nearest tenth. It is cus¬ 
tomary to neglect all figures in the hundredth place 
from 1 to 5 inclusive, and to use the next highest 
tenth for all figures from 6 to 9 inclusive. Thus, a 
yacht’s calculated rating might be 85.05, which would 
be called 85.0; or 85.08, which would be called 85.1. 


33 


It once happened that a yacht, built for Class E, 
was measured at 55.05 and so rated on the certificate. 
The Committee, under Rule III., had to classify the 
yacht at the top of class D, and figure its allowance 
from 65.0 R. M. in all class races. In races sailed 
on allowances calculated from actual rating measure¬ 
ment, this yacht had its allowance calculated from 55.0 
R. M., as the Committee reads the seconds per mile 
in the table from the nearest tenth. 

An entry should state the yacht’s rating measure¬ 
ment, but in case of protest the owner must produce 
the actual certificate. While a yacht’s rating meas¬ 
urement should be known by the Committee before a 
race, an owner may file a notice with the Committee 
that a measurement, or a remeasurement, has been 
asked for, and should send the certificate to the Com¬ 
mittee as soon as possible thereafter. 

If an owner does not notify a Committee in advance 
of a race that his yacht has been altered or remeas¬ 
ured, the Committee should use the certificate rating 
they have on file. When such new certificate is re¬ 
ceived, it need not be used for races sailed previous 
to its receipt, unless it gives a rating equal to or 
larger than the old rating. A refusal to use a smaller 
rating (when the remeasurement was made without 
notification) is in the nature of a penalty for not notify¬ 
ing the Committee in advance, because this neglect 
of a duty on the part of a yacht owner might work 
a hardship on another, by taking from the latter a 
prize which he considered won. It will also prevent 
a Committee announcing a wrong winner. 


34 


An error in measurement discovered at any time prior 
to the first day of November shall be corrected, and the 
results of that season's races made to conform to the cor¬ 
rect measurement. 

This clause very properly calls for the correction 
of an error in measurement, and rightly limits the 
time until the close of the current yachting season, 
namely the first day of November. As most races are 
over by the middle of September, there is a month and 
a half leeway for an error to be discovered. 

This ruling was caused by the accidental discovery 
of an incorrect rating of a yacht, through the mistake 
of a Measurer in calculation. As the race was one of 
the most important of the season, the result was very 
distressing for the Committee, who had to inform the 
fancied winner, some months after the race was sailed, 
that he was a loser. 

Certificates of measurement, subject to the foregoing 
and subject to the changes effected through remeasure¬ 
ment, shall be valid for two years only from date of issue. 

Remeasurement 

Yachts shall be remeasured and a new certificate issued : 

(a) At the expiration of two years from date of last 
certificate. 

(b) Should the Regatta Committee so direct on ac¬ 
count of protest, Rule XVIII., Section 2; or because, in 
their opinion, infringement of the measurement ride or 
irregularity in the certificate exists. 


35 


(c) Upon notification by the owner or the Regatta 
Committee that changes have been made in the yacht af¬ 
fecting her L. W. L. or sail plan. Rule XIX., Section 3. 

The results of remeasurement, as reported by the Meas¬ 
urer, shall be final, subject to the right of appeal, as pro¬ 
vided in Rule XVIII., Section 3. 

RULE II 

The introductory clause and management rule is 
well worth reading, as all questions involving “fair 
play” are liable to be construed under it. 

Management of Races 

The following Racing Rules shall govern all races of 
the Club and any race sailed under its auspices, unless 
otherwise specified between the parties making the race; 
but as no rule can be devised capable of meeting every 
incident and accident of sailing, it shall be the duty of 
the Regatta Committee to decide any questions which 
may arise, not covered by the rules, and to discourage all 
attempts to win a race by other means than fair sailing 
and superior speed and skill. 

A member of the Regatta Committee, who is the owner, 
in whole or in part, of a yacht sailing ( in a race, shall not 
act upon the Committee on any question which concerns 
the class in which his yacht is competing. 

The meaning is clear, that the ordinary customs 
of the sea shall govern in determining any dispute 
which is not specifically covered by the rules. There¬ 
fore, in applying the rules, all acts and maneuvers, 


36 


not specifically covered, should conform to those of 
good seamanship and sportsmanship. 

Sharp practices should be condemned and skillful 
sailing encouraged. With a few skippers, the sailing 
may be so skillful as to encroach on sharp work. Race 
Committees should observe carefully the handling of 
the yachts, that they may differentiate when protests 
are filed. 

RULE III 


Classification 

Yachts shall be classified by rating and shall be divided 
into classes as below: 


Schooners 


ist Class—I 
ioo Foot Class—A 

88 Foot Class—B 

76 Foot Class—C 

65 Foot Class—D 

55 Foot Class—E 

I 

46 Foot Class—F 
*38 Foot Class—FF 


All over 100 feet, rating. 

Not over 100 feet and over 88 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 88 feet and over 76 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 76 feet and over 63 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 63 feet and over 55 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 55 feet and over 46 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 46 feet and over 38 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 38 feet, rating. 


* Class added in 1922. 


37 


1 



Sloops and Yawls 


ist Class—I 
ioo Foot Class—G 

88 Foot Class—H 

76 Foot Class—J 

63 Foot Class—K 

33 Foot Class—L 

46 Foot Class—M 

38 Foot Class—N 

31 Foot Class—P 

23 Foot Class—Q 

20 Foot Class—R 

17 Foot Class —S' 

13 Foot Class—T 


All over 100 feet, rating. 

Not over 100 feet and over 88 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 88 feet and over 76 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 76 feet and over 63 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 63 feet and over 33 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 33 feet and over 46 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 46 feet and over 38 feet, 

% 

rating. 

Not over 38 feet and over 31 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 31 feet and over 23 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 23 feet and over 20 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 20 feet and over 17 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 17 feet and over 13 feet, 
rating. 

Not over 13 feet, rating. 


This part of the rule classifies the yachts according 
to their measurements, and the classes are dis- 


38 


tinguished by letters. Whenever the rule for measure¬ 
ment is amended, this classification is liable to change. 

Each yacht of thirty-eight (38) feet rating and under, 
launched after January 1, 1905, and each yacht over 
thirty-eight (38) feet rating, the keel of which was laid 
after January 1, 1909, except those in the first classes 
of schooners, sloops, and yawls, shall rate at the highest 
limit of its class, when racing in its regular class, (except 
a yacht the rig of which has since been changed from 
sloop to schooner or sloop to yawl shall thereafter be 
rated for time allowance on her rating measurement 
under the new rig). 1 

The object of racing yachts at the top of their re¬ 
spective classes has merit. It prevents long time 
allowances and tends to make closer and more 
interesting racing. As the classification divides the 
yachts into numerous classes, there is little reason 
why new yachts should not be built near the top of a 
particular class. 

When yachts are raced in fleet divisions, or mixed 
classes, their actual ratings are used to figure time 
allowances, because small yachts are then competing 
with large ones, and vice versa. 

The Regatta Committee, in the notice of a race, shall 
specify for what class or classes the race is given; and in 
such notice may combine classes, and establish special 
classes and conditions therefor. 

1 The parenthesis was added by the Yacht Racing Associa¬ 
tion of Long Island Sound. 


39 



RULE IV 


Time Allowance 

Time allowance shall he calculated according to the 
table of alloiuance of the Club. 

The theory and practice of time allowance has been 
discussed in Chapter III., where the formula is given 
for calculating a time allowance table, based on an 
allowance in seconds per mile. 

RULE V 

Restrictions (Racing Trim) 

i. Sails. A Yacht in races may carry the following 
sails: 

A Sloop, mainsail, forestaysail, jib, jib-topsail, gaff- 
topsail, and spinnaker. A Sloop over JJ feet rating 
measurement may carry a club-topsail. 

A Yawl, same as a Sloop, with mizzen, mizzen-topsail, 
and mizzen-staysail. 

A Schooner, mainsail, foresail, forestaysail, jib, jib- 
topsail, fore and main gaff or club-topsail, main-top¬ 
mast staysail, and spinnaker. Lug-foresails shall be 
barred. 

A Three-Masted Schooner, same as a Schooner, with 
mizzen, mizzen-topsail, and mizzen-staysail. 

A Yacht may set light sails over or in place of working 
sails, and may carry square sails, square topsails and 
raffees (together or separately) in place of a spinnaker. 
A pole-masted) yacht may carry her regular sprit topsails. 


40 


The spinnaker boom when in use must be carried on the 
mast. 

When a spinnaker is set, the sheets should not be 
led outside of the forestay or of the lee shrouds. 
When a spinnaker boom is carried so far forward 
that the sheets have to trim outside of a forestay or 
outside of lee shrouds, the sails acts as a balloon jib 
or balloon jib-topsail, and neither the yacht’s sail 
plan nor sail area, as measured, considered this con¬ 
dition. This method of trimming a spinnaker as a bal- 
looner was not contemplated in the measurement rules 
and has been restricted by special agreement in 
numerous special classes. 

The object of restrictions for racing and cruising 
trim is to prevent extreme racing types and keep the 
expense within reasonable limits. 

Lug-foresails on schooners were barred in 1912 , be¬ 
cause they became exaggerated in size, were extremely 
dangerous for the crews to handle in a breeze, and 
caused additional expense without corresponding 
benefit. 

2. Life Buoys. Each yacht shall carry at least two 
serviceable life buoys, or belts, on deck, ready for use. 

3. Boats. Each yacht of any class named below 
shall carry on deck a serviceable, non-collapsible boat 
with round bottom, of a length not less than herein speci¬ 
fied for her class; such boat to have oars and oarlocks 
lashed in. 

Classes I, A, and B of Schooners, I, G, and H of Sloops 
or Yawls, fourteen feet in length. Classes C and D of 
Schooners and J and K of Sloops or Yawls, twelve feet in 


41 


length. Classes E and F of Schooners and L of Sloops 
or Yawls, ten feet in length. 

Some owners of smaller racing yachts have objected 
to carrying lifeboats, but the Authors are strongly 
of the opinion that boats should be carried, as they 
have known many instances where boats have mate¬ 
rially aided in saving life. Boats should be carried 
on all off-shore races and in races which continue 
during the night time. 

4. Bulkheads, Ballast, etc. Floors must be left 
down and bulkheads and doors left standing; water 
tanks kept in place, and at least one bozuer anchor and 
suitable cable kept on board. Each yacht shall keep her 
galley fixtures and fittings on board and in their proper 
places. Trimming by dead weight shall not be allowed 
after the preparatory signal. Neither ballast nor water 
shall be taken in or discharged after 9 p.m. of the day 
before a race but this restriction may be waived as to 
water only, by permission of the Regatta Committee. 

A race postponed or resailed shall, so far as regards 
this rule, be considered a new race. 

There has been considerable argument over just 
what is meant by “at least one bower anchor and 
suitable cable on board,” and a serious protest was 
lodged with the New York Yacht Club Committee in 
1906 on this part of the rule. 

In 1907 , one of the Authors 1 made a study of the 
weight of anchors and size of cables, that a yacht 
should carry. He sent the result of his work to Mr. 
Nathaniel G. Herreshoff for criticism, and as Mr. 


1 H. de B. Parsons. 


42 



Herreshoff’s reply treated the matter in great detail, 
it is here given, with his kind permission, in full. 

Mr. Herreshoff made several tests with anchors of 
his design, and after applying the results to many 
vessels of which he had records, he deduced the fol¬ 
lowing laws: 

“First. The drag on cables of vessels at anchor is 
proportional to exposed surface, both above and below 
water, omitting projecting keels. 

“Second. The holding powers of different sized 
anchors are proportional to the surface of their flukes 
multiplied by the square of the distance they are buried 
in the mud . 1 

“Third. Anchors, proportioned to have strength 
equal to their holding power, as in Law Second, will 
have their strength proportional to their weight; and 
the diameter of chains of equal strength would be 
proportional to the square root of the weight of 
anchor . 1 

“A general formula would be: 

“Drag on Chain of vessel = Holding Power = 
a[LXBX(D+H)]§+b(M 2 +M?+Mi etc. 

+Y 2 +Yf+Yi etc.) . . . (i) 

“Proof Test of Anchor, Proof Test of Chain and 
“c” times Weight of Anchor, must equal Drag on 
Chain as in Formula (i). 

“Diameter of chain=Constant V weight of anchor (2) 

“Diameter of chain in 16ths of an inch= 

Holding Power 

. x O.oil. 

\/weight of anchor 

1 Laws Second and Third are approximations. 

43 






“All weights are expressed in pounds. 

L denotes length of yacht on deck in feet. 

B “ breadth of beam in feet. 

D “ depth of hull, omitting projecting keels, in 

feet. 

H “ average height of deck erections in feet. 

M “ length of masts in feet. 

Y “ length of yards in feet, 

a “ a constant, = 9. 
b denotes a constant, = 0.9. 

c “a constant, = 49. (Only applies to a 
Herreshoff anchor, which is as light for 
its holding power as any in use.) 

“The expression [LXBX(D-f-H)] § is nearly equal 
to 42 (gross tonnage) 1 , and substituting in (i), the 
formula would be: 

“Proof test of anchor and chain = 378 (gross tonnage ) 1 
+o.g(M 2 TMi+M| etc.+Y 2 4“Yi+Yl etc.) ... ( 3 ) 

“In yachts over 35 gross tons, two bower anchors 
and chains are generally supplied, and the sum of 
the squares of the weights of the two anchors should 
equal the square of the weight of one anchor. For 
example, in place of one anchor of 100 pounds, there 
could be two of 86 and 50 pounds respectively, or 80 
and 60 pounds, or two of 71 pounds each. The cables 
in each case should be proportional to the anchors 
attached. 

“Manila hemp cables are convenient for small 
yachts of not over 10 gross tons, instead of chain 
cables. 


44 



F/gure JT. 


45 







































Approx/mate Weight of Anctiors for yachts 
Anchors of Herresho ft Design 



46 

















“The results of the formulae are shown graphically 
in Figure II., from which the weight of anchor, the 
circumference of warp, the diameter of chain, and the 
length of anchor cable can be quickly determined, 
when the holding power, or drag of vessel, is known. 

“The weight of anchor is approximately shown in 
Figure III. for yachts of different gross tonnage. On 
account of additional rigging, schooners require heavier 
ground tackle than sloops of equal tonnage.” 

When using these formulas, remember that the values 
of the constants as given above and the data shown in 
Figures II. and III. for weight of anchor, refer only 
to H'erreshoff anchors. 

These formulae and curves give the weight of anchor, 
size and length of cable, which a racing yacht should 
carry. The heavier anchor should be carried in racing 
trim, and both anchors in cruising trim. If a yacht is 
equipped with an ordinary anchor, instead of a patent 
anchor, its minimum weight should be at least that as 
given by these formulae. 

The racing rules contemplate weight and inconve¬ 
nience due to equipment. A suitable anchor, of the 
weight as prescribed by these rules, could be procured, 
which would have a safe holding power, even if an in¬ 
ferior designed anchor did not have. 

5 . Crew. The total number of persons permitted on 
a yacht during a race shall not exceed one for every 250 
square feet of sail area and fraction thereof except as 
below. 

In smaller classes the crew sliall be limited as follows : 

25 -foot Class, Q, 4 persons. 

20 -foot Class, R, 3 persons. 

47 


ij-foot Class, S, 5 persons. 

15-foot Class, T, 2 persons. 

In all classes of 51 feet and under, each yacht must he 
steered by a Corinthian, who shall he a member of a 
recognized yacht club, and must be manned by Corin¬ 
thians, except) that a yacht of the 51-foot class may carry 
tzvo professionals, and a yacht of the 25-foot class or any 
smaller class may carry one professional. 

On yachts over thirty-one (51) feet rating women, not 
taking any active part in the handling of the yacht, may 
be carried and not counted as members of the crew. 

In smaller classes women, if carried, shall be counted 
as members of crew. 

Definition of Corinthianism 

Corinthianism in yachting is that attribute which repre¬ 
sents participation for sport as distinct from gain, and 
which also involves the acquirement of nautical experi¬ 
ence through the love of sport, rather than through neces¬ 
sity or the hope of gain. No person who follows the sea 
as a means of livelihood, or who has accepted remunera¬ 
tion for services rendered in handling or serving on a 
yacht, shall be considered a Corinthian yachtsman. 

In special, restricted, and one-design classes, even 
of large ratings, the owners of the yachts often mu¬ 
tually agree that they shall be steered by members of 
recognized yacht clubs, when competing in their own 
classes. 

The requirement that yachts of thirty-one feet rating 
and under shall be steered by Corinthians, and the 
definition of Corinthianism, are in the rules of the 
Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. 


48 


This Corinthian rule, having taught many amateurs 
to become most expert helmsmen, should be en¬ 
couraged. 

6. Boarding and Leaving. No person shall board 
or leave a yacht after the preparatory signal for her class 
has been made, except in case of accident, or injury, to a 
person on board. 

If a man falls overboard, it is a case of accident. 
The rule was originally made for small boats of the 
“sand-bagger” days, when shifting ballast was per¬ 
mitted. It then came about that members of the crew 
would jump overboard to lighten the vessel under 
circumstances favorable to such action. This jumping 
or falling overboard by intention is strictly forbidden, 
and should disqualify a yacht if proven. 

If the man overboard is picked up by another boat, 
either competing or otherwise, the yacht is not obliged 
to stop in order to receive him back. However, if the 
yacht continues on her course without making sure 
of his rescue, then the rule should apply, and the yacht 
be disqualified. This clause should be read in con¬ 
nection with Rule XIV. 

In cases of injury, a doctor may be taken on board 
and the yacht may continue in the race without lia¬ 
bility of being disqualified. 

y. Private Signal and Number. Each yacht shall 
carry her private signal at the main peak. 

Racing numbers with class letters or class distinguish¬ 
ing mark directly above them must be displayed on both 
sides of the mainsail. They must be painted in dark color 
of clear-cut block type on rectangular pieces of canvas 


49 


and securely attached to the sail, so that the bottom of 
the number will be on horizontal line with throat of sail 
and midway between luff and leach, and parallel to water 
line. The size of the numbers, letters, or distinguishing 
mark shall be not less than 15 inches each in height for 
yachts not over 31 feet rating, and not less than 18 inches 
each in height for yachts over 31 feet rating. 

As it is not always possible to read the private 
signals, therefore, numbers and class letters or marks 
are displayed on each side of the mainsail as a means 
of quick identification. It must not be presumed that 
Committees will know all the yachts and their private 
signals by sight. The failure to properly display a 
racing number has rightly caused some Committees to 
omit recording a yacht’s time. 

After dark, a yacht crossing a finish line should hail 
the Committee and announce the yacht’s name and 
number. It is difficult for a Committee to see the 
numbers at night or in a fog, and one-design yachts 
are hard to distinguish. Every Committeeman will 
appreciate this courtesy, and occasionally an owner 
is rewarded by not having his yacht recorded as 
T.N.T., i. e., time not taken. 

8. Lights and Fog Signals. The Government regu¬ 
lations regarding lights and fog signals shall be observed. 

q. Propulsion. No means of propulsion other than 
sails shall be employed. 

10. Anchoring, etc. A yacht may anchor, but must 
weigh anchor again and not slip. A yacht shall not 
warp nor kedge, nor make fast to a buoy, pier, vessel, or 


50 


other object, except as provided in Section 12 of this 
Rule. 

A yacht must not warp or kedge, as it is distinctly 
unfair to take in cable quickly to propel a yacht ahead. 
While a yacht may anchor during a race, to prevent 
drifting backward with the tide under calm conditions, 
she may not cross the starting or finishing lines by 
sheering to a cable with the anchor down. In order 
to properly cross the line, the anchor must be clear 
of the ground. 

11. Sounding. No other means of sounding than the 
lead and line shall be employed. 

12. Running Aground and Fouling. A yacht run¬ 
ning aground or folding a buoy, pier, vessel, or other 
object, may use her anchors, warps, boats, etc., to get 
clear, but may not receive any assistance, except from the 
crew of the vessel fouled. 

13. Power. Manual power only shall be used in 
handling sails. 

“Manual power only shall be used” means during a 
race. It is not to be interpreted to mean that large 
auxiliary yachts may not hoist their sails with power 
before the preparatory signal. In other words, there 
is no good reason why an auxiliary should not hoist 
its sails in the harbor with its own power, but of 
course must not use such power during the race, that 
is after the preparatory signal is made. 

14. Member on Board. There shall be a member of 
the Club on each yacht. 


51 


The object of requiring a member of a recognized 
yacht club to be on board each yacht in a race is a 
simple method of having someone who can be held 
responsible in case of infringement of the rules, and 
who can hail another yacht, as required by Rule XII., 
Section 9. 


RULE VI 

Restrictions (Cruising Trim) 

As many races are sailed in cruising trim, additional 
restrictions are made to those of racing trim. 

When cruising trim is required a yacht shall conform 
to the following restrictions : 

i. Fittings. Cruising deck, cabin, galley, and fore¬ 
castle fittings and fixtures suitable to the size of the yacht 
(davits and accommodation ladder excepted) shall be 
kept in place. Davits and accommodation ladder shall be 
kept on board. 

In the matter of boat davits, it is only necessary to 
have those davits on board which belong to the boats 
that are carried. The davits which belong to boats 
left ashore may be left with them. If a yacht, in reg¬ 
ular cruising trim, does not have davits, it is not 
the intention that a pair should be provided to com¬ 
ply with this rule. If, however, there is any suspicion 
that the davits were removed simply to come within 
this interpretation a Committee should require them. 
The fact of not having davits is of far less importance, 
than the intention to cheat the rule. 


52 


This rule does not mean that such deck hamper as 
a galley smoke pipe shall be set up above the deck. 
The smoke pipe shall be on board, but not necessarily 
carried in place so as to foul halyards and other rac¬ 
ing gear. A good common sense interpretation of 
this rule should guide a Committee in cases of protest. 

2. Anchors and Cables. An equipment of anchors 
and' cables suitable to the size of the yacht shall be carried 
and of these at least one Bower anchor shall be carried in 
place on the bozo. 

j. Sails. A yacht may carry the sails allozocd in 
Racing Trim, except that topsails extending above the 
truck of the topmast or beyond the end of the gaff shall be 
barred. A pole-masted yacht may carry her regular 
sprit-topsails. 

4. Boats. Each yacht shall carry on deck or on 
davits at least one serznceable, non-collapsible boat with 
round bottom, of the size prescribed for her class in the 
restrictions of Ride V (Racing Trim). Further, each 
yacht shall carry one such boat of not less than the follow- 
in sizes: Class M, ten (10) feet in length; Class N, 
nine (9) feet in length; and each sloop, yazvl, or schooner 
of thirty-one (31) feet rating and under shall carry such 
boat, if any, as may be prescribed by the Club or its Re¬ 
gatta Committee. 

5. Crew. Only such paid hands, pilot excepted, 
shall be carried as live in the crew's quarters of the yacht, 
and the total number of persons on board shall not exceed 
the number allozved in Racing Trim. 


53 


6. A yacht shall conform to all the restrictions of Rule 
V. (Racing Trim) zvhich are not replaced or modified by 
the foregoing sections of this Rule. 

Sections 2 and 4 should be considered with the 
discussions of the corresponding sections under 
Rule V. 

The other sections need no comment as their mean¬ 
ing is clear. 


RULE VII 
Entries 

1. A yacht cannot be entered for a Club race unless 
her ownership, rig, and rating for time allowance, as 
computed in accordance with the Rides of the Club, are 
on record with the Regatta Committee. 

2. All One-Design and Restricted Classes must file 
with the Secretary of the Association or the Regatta Com¬ 
mittee, a copy of their class rides and regulations. No 
yacht will be entitled to start in any race in such class 
unless the yacht conforms to the rides and regulations of 
the class. 

j. Entries shall be made as required by the Regatta 
Committee in the notice of the race. 

4. Unless otherwise specifically directed in the notice 
of a race, as provided in Rule III., a yacht starting alone 
in a class shall be entitled to sail over the course for a 
<( Sail over” prize; or such yacht may enter in the next 
class above at the minimum rating in such class, provided 


54 


she notifies the Regatta Committee and her competitors 
by hoisting at the starboard main spreader the flag desig¬ 
nating the letter of the class she so enters. Such a letter 
must be kept flying during the entire race. 

5. Two or more yachts owned, wholly or in part, by 
the same person shall not be entered in the same class, 
unless one of such yachts be under charter to the person 
in whose name she is entered. 

A person chartering a yacht must be a member of a 
recognized yacht club and' shall be considered as the 
owner. No yacht which has been chartered shall be en¬ 
tered for a race, unless she has been chartered in good 
faith for a period of not less than thirty days. 

The Regatta Committee may refuse or accept any entry 
made after the time of closing, and they may, if they 
consider it expedient, reject any entry. 

A yacht of a Restricted or a One-Design Class appear¬ 
ing alone in her class may enter and compete in the rel¬ 
ative regular class, provided she has been measured for 
such class and that notice is given as specified in Section 
4 of this rule. 

Section 2, and the second, third, and fourth para¬ 
graphs of Section 5, are in the Racing Rules of the 
Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. 
They are not in the rules of the New York Yacht 
Club. 

The Race Committee in the sailing instructions 
should make clear what classes are to start, and each 
entry should state in what class the yacht belongs. 

There are so many Restricted and One-Design 
Classes that frequently some are not mentioned in the 


55 


sailing instructions. Such classes, desiring to start, 
should ask permission of the Race Committee well in 
advance of the hour appointed for the first class or 
division to start. Too frequently they leave it so late 
that the Committee are busy with course signals and 
time, and cannot give proper attention. These late 
entries are unfair to the Committee. 

Similarly, yachts desiring to receive instructions 
should ask for them in advance, and not come along¬ 
side of the Committee boat at the last moment, when 
their requests are most disturbing. Small yachts are 
the greatest offenders in this particular, as large ones 
rarely hail a Committee. 

One other item is most important. An entry should 
clearly give the owner’s full name and permanent ad¬ 
dress. As prizes should not be distributed until after 
the close of the yachting season (1st November), it 
frequently happens that prizes are sent to some coun¬ 
try address only to be returned as “moved away,” 
“address not known,” or “house closed for the winter.” 
Such neglect on the part of a yacht owner causes 
no end of trouble and some expense to the Committee. 


RULE VIII 
Instructions 

i. The owner of each yacht entered for a race shall 
be furnished at the time of the entry, or as soon thereafter 
as possible, with written or printed instructions as to the 
conditions of the race and the courses to be sailed. 


56 


2. The Regatta Committee may change the courses or 
amend the instructions, provided notice of such change 
is given to each yacht before the warning signal is made. 

This rule refers to the instructions, or sailing direc¬ 
tions, for the race. They are prepared by the Race 
Committee, and should be clear and free from am¬ 
biguity. Also they should be as short as is consistent 
with clearness, for it is most irritating not to find some 
particular instruction, when in the midst of a close 
contest, or when attention is required during a squall. 

Whatever details the instructions state should be 
carried out by the Committee so as not to mislead the 
yachts, especially times of starting and matters of sig¬ 
nals. 

When yachts are hovering around the Committee 
boat, waiting for the course signals, the Committee 
should try to keep the yachts posted as to their plans. 
Thus, if the Committee is going to postpone the start 
for lack of wind or other reason, there should be no 
delay in setting the postponement signal. Similarly, 
the course signals should be set as soon as determined. 

Just a word about the proper hand on which to leave 
turning marks, that are specified in the sailing instruc¬ 
tions. In passing round a course, the marks should 
all be left on the same hand, no matter whether the 
race is straightaway and return or is triangular. 
Thus, in a straightaway race, if the starting mark is 
left on starboard hand, the outer mark and finish mark 
are also left on starboard hand; and if the race is 
triangular the same condition applies. If the race is 
reversed, the marks are all left on port hand. It will 


57 


be noted that the finish line should be on the opposite 
side of the starting mark, in other words the Com¬ 
mittee boat will be on the opposite side of the mark. 
It is only in this way that Rule XIX., Section i. can 
be complied with. There are two exceptions, one 
when the course is irregular, and the other when the 
starting mark is near a shoal or other obstruction and 
can only be left with safety on one side. In both 
these exceptional cases, the proper hand on which to 
leave a mark should be specified in the instructions. 

It is not always desirable to specify each course in 
detail (when there are a number from which the Com¬ 
mittee may select one on the day of a race), on ac¬ 
count of the long reading matter that it may involve. 
It should be self-evident to the yachts, when a Com¬ 
mittee signals certain marks for a straightaway and 
return, or for a triangular race, that all marks should 
be left on the inside of the course. In this connection 
it is well to remember that the Committee boat is not 
a mark for the purpose of rounding, unless specially 
mentioned in the instructions. The Committee boat 
merely limits the ends of the starting and finishing 
lines, and is only a mark for these lines. 

Committees should be careful in giving out instruc¬ 
tions that all yachts receive the same instructions. It has 
happened, when verbal instructions were given, that 
they were not alike. This has resulted in the yachts 
sailing different courses. 

When an error is made by the Committee, a yacht 
sailing the wrong course should not lose the prize, 
nor should a yacht sailing the correct course, if it 
is possible to avoid it. When a yacht having sailed 


58 


the wrong course would have won if she had sailed 
the right course, in the judgment of the Committee, it 
frequently can be arranged to divide the prize, or to 
award two prizes. 


RULE IX 

Amenable to Racing Rules 

A yacht shall he amenable to the Racing Rules from 
the time the preparatory signal for her class is made, and 
shall continue so until her entire hull and spars have 
passed across the finish line. 

From the setting of the warning signal, yachts whose 
preparatory signal has not been made, must keep clear 
of other yachts whose preparatory signal has been made. 
After crossing the finishing line a yacht shall not interfere 
with any yacht still in the race. 

The first paragraph is clear, that a yacht is amenable 
to the rules until the entire hull and spars have crossed 
the finish line. The next rule, Rule X., states that the 
time at the finish is taken when the mast crosses the 
line, but this does not relieve a yacht from the rules 
until its entire hull and spars have crossed. 

If a yacht’s mast crosses the finish line and her time 
is taken the yacht must still continue and entirely 
cross before she can be considered as not being amen¬ 
able to the racing rules. 

If after the mast crosses the line, the yacht fouls 
one of the finishing marks before her entire hull and 
spars have crossed, the yacht is disqualified under 
Rule XIX. When her entire hull and spars have 


59 


crossed the line, the yacht is beyond the jurisdiction 
of the Committee (unless she interferes with a yacht 
still in the race), and if thereafter a foul occurs by 
striking either mark, the yacht is not disqualified. 

The rule states that a racing yacht is amenable to 
the racing rules from the time the preparatory signal 
is made until her entire hull and spars have passed 
across the finish line. The word “spars,” in this rule, 
is interpreted to include “rigging.” 

Yachts that are not starting on a signal about to be 
made, should keep out of the way of those maneuver¬ 
ing for a start. To thus interfere with another is both 
careless and thoughtless, and should disqualify a yacht 
if the case be a serious one. Small yachts are the 
usual offenders. 


RULE X 
Start and Finish 

1. The starting and finishing lines shall be indicated 
by a stake-boat or other mark at one end, and a white 
flag displayed on the Regatta Committee's boat or station 
at the other end. 

2. The Regatta Committee may establish, by means 
of a buoy or buoys, a restricted area about the starting 
line, within which no yacht should enter until the prepara¬ 
tory signal of her class is made. 

It would be well to again call attention to the dif¬ 
ference that exists before and after the starting signal. 
Before the starting signal, there is no proper course; 
while after the starting signal, there is a proper and 


60 


definite course. Refer to “Fundamental Principles” 
and definition of “Proper Course,” see page 16. 

j. The Committee boat or station at the finish line 
shall show a red ball, and after sunset shall show two red 
lights, and at intervals, the Club's night signal. 

A person may be placed on the stake-boat or station, 
at the finishing line, who shall time the yachts in the 
absence of the Regatta Committee. 

4 . The time at the start and finish shall be taken when 
the foremast on a Schooner and the mainmast on a Sloop 
or Yawl first crosses the line after the starting signal has 
been made. 

Should a yacht finish before the Committee has es¬ 
tablished the finish line, then the yacht should take 
her own time, when the designated finish mark bears 
at right-angles to the direction of the last leg of the 
course and is distant not more than 600 feet. A yacht, 
so timing itself, should report her time to the Com¬ 
mittee and compare timepieces, as soon as possible 
after the race. 

5 . If this point 1 in any yacht be across the line when 
the starting signal is made, she must return and start 
again. 

6 . A yacht so returning, or one working into position 
from the wrong side of the line after the signal for start¬ 
ing has been made, must keep clear of and give way to 
all competing yachts. 

When it is self-evident that a yacht is returning in 
order to cross the starting line properly, that is after 

1 Foremast on a Schooner and mainmast on a Sloop or Yawl. 


61 



the starting signal is made, she has no right-of-way 
over other yachts racing, which have started properly. 
In altering her course to return, the yacht must not 
cause any other yacht to alter her course to prevent 
the risk of a foul. 

In every circumstance, the returning yacht must 
keep clear and out of the way of all others, except 
those, like herself which have been recalled or are 
working back from the wrong side of the line. Be¬ 
tween these recalled yachts, the racing rules apply. 

When a yacht has crossed the starting line before 
the signal and has to return, she must place her hull, 
spars and rigging on the starting side before she can 
properly start. A returning yacht cannot come around 
on the line, even if her mast be over, and properly 
start. Under the rules all of her hull and spars, in¬ 
cluding rigging, must come back of the line. 

It may happen that a yacht starting too soon may 
be carried for some distance by other contestants be¬ 
fore she is enabled to get clear, because she has no 
rights to force the others to give her room to maneuver 
back to the starting line. 

The yachts which have started properly are not 
aware, or at best are not to be considered as being 
aware, that another is returning or working into posi¬ 
tion from the wrong side of the starting line, until 
her maneuvers make it obvious that such yacht is not 
progressing on her proper course. 

Clause 6 is not in agreement with the rules to pre¬ 
vent collisions at sea. It is one of the special rules to 
fit yacht racing conditions. 


62 


RULE XI 


Starting Signals 

/. The Starting Signals for all races, to which atten¬ 
tion shall he called by gun or whistle, shall be as follows: 

Warning. The hoisting of a white flag or cone. 

Preparatory. Five minutes after the warning signal, 
the hoisting of the Blue Peter or Blue Peter cone. 

Start. Five minutes after the preparatory signal, the 
hoisting of a distinctive signal, as provided in instructions. 

2 . In starting yachts by classes or divisions, the classes 
or diznsions shall be started at five-minute intervals by 
hoisting other distinctive signals for each additional 
class or division so started. The starting signal for one 
class or division shall be the preparatory signal for the 
next succeeding class or division. 

j. The Regatta Committee may alter the time inter¬ 
vals betzveen signals, when so stated in the instructions. 

4 . All starts shall be one-gun starts unless otherwise 
specified in the instructions for the race. 

5 . When the time of starting is postponed until later 
in the day, the Committee shall hoist code flag “G”; post¬ 
ponement shall be for even fifteen-minute intervals. 

The Committee has the right to specify the starting 
signals, so that those given in the sailing instructions 
would override the requirements of this rule. 

Signals should be accurately given at the intervals 
specified. Too much care cannot be taken in this par- 


63 


ticular, as every yacht has at least one stop-watch go¬ 
ing in synchrony with the Committee’s timepiece. 

The “warning” is simply intended to call attention 
that the next signal will be the preparatory, when 
the racing rules come into effect. The warning, there¬ 
fore, should always precede the preparatory. 

It is best to specify the same intervals of time be¬ 
tween the warning, the preparatory, and the start; 
and for this purpose, an interval of five minutes has 
been found more satisfactory than any other, for both 
large and small yacht racing. 

Attention to the signals is better called by a steam 
whistle than by a gun. The escaping steam shows 
clearly and is supplementary to the sound. The 
whistle blasts should be for five seconds as near as 
may be. 

It would be beneficial to the sport and simplify 
matters, if all yacht racing clubs would adopt the same 
starting signals. 


RULE XII 
Right-of-Way 

This is a most important rule, and is divided into 
two parts,—the first part being definitions or mean¬ 
ings of words used in the Right-of-Way clauses for 
the purpose of interpreting the Racing Rules, and the 
second part being the rules of Right-of-Way. Every 
student should familiarize himself with the definitions 
before applying the “rules of the road.” It should 
be always kept in mind that these rules of right-of- 


9 


64 


way are intended to promote yacht racing on a basi^ 
fair for all, and, therefore, have been made somewhat 
different from the merchant rules to prevent collisions 
at sea as has been mentioned before. 

It is best to explain each definition or clause sep¬ 
arately, so as to point out the essential and controlling 
features. 


Definitions 

Definition (a)—Close-hauled. 

A yacht is close-hauled when sailing by the wind as 
close as she can lay with advantage in working to wind¬ 
ward. 

For the purpose of interpretation of these rules, a 
yacht is considered as close-hauled when sailing as 
close to the wind as she can with advantage. When 
further off the wind, the yacht is considered as sail¬ 
ing “free.” A yacht sailing free is either “reaching” 
or “running.” When the wind is forward of the beam, 
it is close reaching; when aft of the beam, it is broad 
reaching; and when over the stern, it is running. 

A yacht sailing off the wind with sheets close 
abroad, that is trimmed flat, is not sailing to advan¬ 
tage. The course of the yacht in relation to the wind, 
and not the trim of the sails, governs these interpre¬ 
tations. 

A yacht, close-hauled or reaching or running, re¬ 
mains on the same tack, even though she alters the 
direction of her course until she comes about, or gybes, 
with the main boom on the other side. 


65 


Definition (b)—Wind-Aft. 

A yacht with the wind aft is deemed to have the wind 
on the side opposite to that on which she is carrying her 
main boom. 

This distinction is made that two yachts with the 
wind aft will know how to keep clear of each other, 
as provided in Section 2, Clause (b) of this rule. 

Definition (c)—Overlapping and Clear. 

Two yachts sailing the same or nearly the same course 
are said to be overlapping when either yacht hast no longer 
a free choice on which side of the other she shall pass, and 
the overlap continues to exist so long as the leeward yacht 
by luffing, or the windward yacht by bearing away, is in 
danger of fouling. Otherwise they are said to be clear. 

By carefully reading this definition, it will be seen 
that the essence of the condition called overlapping 
is that the two yachts must be sailing the same or 
nearly the same course. A luff, or the bearing away, 
of a few points, does not make a material alteration 
in the meaning that the yachts are sailing approxi¬ 
mately the same course. In this regard, the wording 
of the definition “nearly the same course” has been 
taken to mean within three points or about thirty- 
three degrees. 

The next condition is that the yachts must be so 
close together that one yacht has no longer a choice 
of which side of the other she shall pass. The close¬ 
ness to each other is dependent on the relative sizes 
and speeds of the yachts, their turning radii, and the 


66 


condition of the sea. In rough water, especially in 
short, high seas, it is more difficult to steer an ac¬ 
curate course than in smooth water, as a yacht is 
liable to slide down the seas and yaw. A rough sea, 
therefore increases the risk of collision or danger of 
fouling. 

It is evident that, with yachts of about equal size 
and speed, the overlap commences after there is a 
physical overlapping of the yachts. Also, that the 
overlap commences sooner when the yacht astern is 
the speedier of the two. 

The conditions can best be seen by referring 
to the diagrams in Figure IV. In Position 1, A has an 
overlap on B, because A has no longer a free choice 
on which side she will pass. If the yachts are farther 
apart, as in Position 2, there is still an overlap for the 
same reason. If the yachts are again farther apart, 
as in Position 3, there is no overlap, because A could 
just pass under B’s stern and has a choice of sides 
on which to pass. In both of the Positions 1 and 2, 
A has just commenced its overlap and it is to be noted 
that the physical lapping of A over B increases as 
their distance apart. In Position 3, A has not an over¬ 
lap, although she is almost beam to beam with B, 
because she has a free choice as to which side she 
shall pass. 

In a similar manner, Positions 4, 5, and 6 show 
overlapping conditions when A is on the other side or 
to leeward of B. There is an overlap in Positions 
4 and 5, but not in 6, as then A could pass under B’s 
stern and has a choice of sides. 


67 



A 



Position J 
Oreriap 



Position 4- 
Overlap 



Position 2 
Overlap 



Position 5 
Overlap 



i i 

i i 


Position 3 
Aio Over tap 


A 
♦ » 
I • 



Position 6 
/Vo Overlap 


Figure J3T. 


68 


The overlap continues until the leeward yacht can 
luff, or the windward yacht bear away, without danger 
of fouling. By danger is meant risk. It is not limited 
to an actual collision, but only to a danger or risk of 
collision. The rules are made to prevent collisions, 
and when yachts are within the danger zone, they 
must be steered with care. Danger of foul should be 
always presumed in cases of doubt. 

When yachts are not overlapping, that is when one 
is so far astern or abeam of the other that either could 
luff or bear away without danger of fouling, the yachts 
are said to be “clear,” or “clear abeam,” as in- Posi¬ 
tions 3 and 6. The state of being clear, therefore, is 
one before the overlap was established or after the 
overlap has ceased to exist; but must be distinguished 
from the meaning of “drawn clear” in Definition (D) 
—Overtaking. 

In Figure V. positions are shown involving danger 
or risk of fouling by luffing and bearing away, and also 
positions when the yachts are clear. 

It is well to note that the right to perform such 
evolutions as are illustrated in Figures IV. and V. may 
not exist in actual racing, and that a yacht might be 
disqualified under some rule for so doing. 

Definition (d)—Overtaking. 

Of two yachts sailing the same or nearly the same 
course, the one clear astern, if approaching the other so 
as to involve an overlap, is said to be the overtaking yacht, 
and she continues such after the yachts overlap until she 
has again drawn clear. 


69 



A and B are within danger or ris/r of a foot. 





A is dear of B and C 


Figure JT. 

70 





In order to be an overtaking or an overtaken yacht, 
both must be sailing the same or nearly the same 
course. This point is very frequently overlooked, 
even by experienced sailors. To claim the rights of an 
overtaken yacht, under the conditions of an overlap, 
the yachts must be sailing approximately the same 
course, one coming up from clear astern, and ap¬ 
proaching the other in such a manner as to establish 
an overlap, that is, about to come within danger of 
fouling. 

A yacht continues to be an overtaking yacht until 
she has “drawn clear” of the overtaken yacht. A yacht 
may draw clear by drawing clear ahead, or drawing 
clear astern, or drawing clear abeam by widening out 
beyond the risk of a foul. The expressions “drawn 
clear ahead” or “drawn clear astern” mean that clear 
water must show between the stern or rigging of one 
and the bow or rigging of the other. This clear water 
must be measured at right angles to the course which 
the two yachts are sailing; see Figure VI. 

It is often difficult to decide whether a yacht is over¬ 
taking or not. „ Evidently the word infers that the 
rear yacht is sailing the faster, but in actual racing 
two yachts very often sail for long distances at prac¬ 
tically the same speed, and confusion arises. In order 
to determine this point, see that these conditions are 
fulfilled: (1) approximately the same course, (2) clear 
astern, and (3) risk of fouling. 

It is also self-evident that the condition of over¬ 
taking must exist until the yacht has drawn clear 
ahead, clear astern, or clear abeam. The proof that 


71 


the overtaking yacht has drawn clear of the other must 
always rest on the overtaking yacht. 

It will be noted that a yacht merely passing an¬ 
other is not necessarily an overtaking yacht under the 
meaning of this definition. To be an overtaking yacht, 
all the conditions of overtaking must be fulfilled. 



Drawn C/ear 

A and B are c/ear ahead. C is c/ear astern. 

FiqureYL. 

Definition (e)—Luffing. 

A yacht is luffing when she so alters her course as to 
sail a course more nearly into the wind. 

A yacht alters her course by luffing, but does not 
alter her tack. This is true even if the luff is sufficient 
to spill the wind out of the sails, or for the yacht to 
come head to the wind. 

. Definition (f)—Mark. 

A mark is any vessel, boat, buoy, or other object used 
to indicate the course. 


72 




All marks, except established buoys and light vessels 
used as marks, shall fly the Club flag, or show a ball in 
the Club colors. 

Every essential or ordinary above-water part of any 
object named as a mark, counts as a mark for the purpose 
of this rule, but no part below water, nor any object acci¬ 
dentally or temporarily attached to the mark counts as 
part of the mark. 

The flag on a mark or ensign at the taffrail of a 
Committee boat should not count, under the last para¬ 
graph, as an essential part, but the flagstaff should. 

The anchor cable of a mark below water does not 
count but any portion above water does. If a yacht 
fouls the cable below water, and in consequence fouls 
the mark, the yacht should be disqualified. The same 
is true if the cable of a mark-vessel has to be paid out 
to avoid collision. 

A Committee boat should not have boat booms 
swung out, or boats in the water alongside or astern; 
but, if it has, a yacht should not be disqualified for 
fouling them, as they are only temporarily attached. 

To avoid confusion the marks should be clearly de¬ 
scribed in the sailing instructions. It should be re¬ 
membered that, before the starting signal, the marks 
of the course are only obstructions to sea room. 

Right-of-Way 

When one yacht is approaching another yacht, so as 
to involve the risk of fouling, one of them shall keep clear 
of the other as follows: 

Rights-of-Way are specified in nine clauses. They 
should be interpreted as a whole. Rule II. clearly 

73 


calls attention to the following:—that “as no rule can 
be devised capable of meeting every incident and ac¬ 
cident of sailing,” the Race Committee “should dis¬ 
courage all attempts to win a race by other means 
than fair sailing and superior speed and skill.” 

The clear intention of the rules for right-of-way is 
that all sections should be complied with, and a yacht 
should not be allowed to claim rights under one sec¬ 
tion after having infringed another. 

As the rights-of-way become effective with the 
preparatory signal, while the yachts are maneuvering 
for a start, causes for complaint often arise during 
this preliminary period. 

The Authors were once asked the following ques¬ 
tions, bearing upon conditions existing at the start. 
In both cases, Figure VII., it is understood that W is 
not an overtaking yacht. If W were an overtaking 
yacht and tried to pass L to weather, then, under Rule 
XII., Section 6, W must keep clear of L, while L 
could luff or continue her course at pleasure so as to 
prevent W from passing. 

The line x y represents the starting line. 

Case I.: In Figure VII. (a), W and L have reached 
a point, when the starting signal is made, from which 
it is not possible to leave mark x to starboard without 
gybing, on their return from wrong side of starting 
line. 

At the starting signal, L bears away nearly for 
mark y, intending to give W a fair berth at that mark. 
W bears away somewhat more and a collision results. 
An overlap was constantly maintained. 


74 



75 













W claims that his proper course was to the nearest 
available point in the starting line, and that L had pre¬ 
vented his crossing. 

L doubts whether there is any proper course from the 
wrong side of the line, and in any case claims a right 
to determine the part of the line he must permit W to 
cross. 

Answer: When an overlap exists at the starting 
signal with both yachts on the wrong side of the 
starting line, each should give the other room to 
cross from the proper side. L should bear away for 
the line so that W can have the shortest reasonable 
course to the line, if W wants to take it. L has no 
right to infer anything to the contrary. W must not 
collide with L, because as the weather boat she must 
keep clear. If W feels she is injured, W should pro¬ 
test L, because the Committee cannot infer why par¬ 
ticular movements are made. 

W is right in trying to get to the nearest available 
point on the starting line, so as to get on her “proper 
course/’ which is from the starting line to the next 
mark. 

L is wrong in trying to dictate where W must cross 
the line to get on her proper course. 

Case II.: In Figure VII. (b), the course being to 
windward, yachts W and L, constantly overlapping, 
pass to windward of mark x and bear away for the 
line after the starting signal, in order to work into 
position from the wrong side of the line. 

L crosses to the correct side of the line and then 
luff’s to cross. W does not respond and a collision re¬ 
sults. 


76 


W claims that his proper course was to the line and 
that L had prevented his crossing. 

L claims rights under Rule X, Paragraph 6. 
Answer: Both W and L should give each other 
room to return to the starting line after the starting 
signal, because W and L both find themselves on the 
wrong side of the line, and both start working into 
position from the wrong side of the starting line. 
With an overlap constantly existing, W is obliged to 
keep clear, but L must not so alter her course in front 
of W as to involve a collision or a risk of fouling. 
See Racing Rule XII., Section 5, and Section 7, Para¬ 
graph (b). L must allow W the shortest reasonable 
course to cross the line. 

When W crosses, she must at once go on her course 
and let L have the right to follow, or she must keep 
out of L’s way and let L go on her proper course. 

In both cases, it is understood that W is not an 
overtaking yacht. 

As the majority of protests are founded on one of 
the nine sections govering right-of-way, the following 
general principles should assist a helmsman who finds 
it difficult to keep in mind all of the sections and 
clauses of this somewhat complicated rule: 

First. A yacht with main boom to starboard has 
to keep out of the way of another with main boom to 
port. 

Second. When two yachts are sailing the same or 
nearly the same course, the yacht to windward has 
to keep clear. 


77 


Third. A yacht, having right-of-way, must not 
suddenly alter her course or tack so as to cause a 
foul. 

Fourth. A yacht is only allowed to luff “as she 
pleases,” namely without regard to proximity of an¬ 
other yacht, which must keep clear, when she ranks 
as an overtaken yacht. 

1. Right-of-Way on Different Points of Sailing. 
A yacht free shall keep clear of one close-hauled. 

All good sailors understand this section; and little 
difficulty is experienced under it, except in cases when 
the yacht sailing free does not alter her course in 
sufficient time to keep clear, and thus confuses and em¬ 
barrasses the yacht close-hauled. A yacht holding 
right-of-way should not be left in doubt of the in¬ 
tention of the other. 

It is strictly bad seamanship and is prohibited un¬ 
der Section 5 of this rule, for a yacht close-hauled to 
tack suddenly in front of another that is free. 

After the starting signal, a yacht holding right-of- 
way may be disqualified on protest if she obstructs 
the other by steering a course unreasonably wide of 
her own proper course for the next mark, taking wind, 
tide, and other conditions into consideration. 1 

2. Right-of-Way on Same Point of Sailing, with 
Wind on Opposite Sides. 

(a) When both yachts are close-hauled and have the 
wind on opposite sides , the yacht with the wind on the 
port side shall keep clear. 


1 Similar to the interpretation by the Y. R. A. of Great Britain. 

78 



(b) When both yachts are free , or both have the wind 
aft , and have the wind on opposite sides , the yacht with 
the wind on the port side shall keep clear. 

This section is framed particularly to avoid colli¬ 
sion and is familiarly known as the rule of the star¬ 
board and port tack. It is the most important in 
many respects of all the sections and should be kept 
inviolate. In cases of doubt, all decisions on protest 
should favor the starboard tack. 

As the yacht on the port tack has to keep clear, she 
should leave no doubt, in the mind of the helmsman of 
the yacht on starboard tack, of her intention to do so. 

It must be distinctly understood that a yacht not 
close hauled (i.e., not sailing as close to the wind as 
she can with advantage in working to windward) is 
free , including close reaching, broad reaching or run¬ 
ning, and therefore must keep clear of a yacht that 
is close hauled. Under this rule, a yacht close hauled 
on port tack would have the right-of-way over a yacht 
sailing free on starboard tack. 

3. Right-of-Way on Same Point of Sailing, with 
Wind on Same Side. 

When both yachts are free , or both have the wind aft 
and have the wind on the same side , the yacht to wind¬ 
ward shall keep clear. 

While this section is explicit, it has been misinter¬ 
preted as permission given to a leeward yacht to sail 
where she pleases. Before the starting signal (but 
after the preparatory), the leeward yacht may sail as 
she pleases, except that she cannot luff suddenly, and 


79 


the weather yacht must keep clear. Before the start¬ 
ing signal, no question of proper course can arise, and 
the yacht holding right-of-way may alter her course in 
any reasonable manner. 

After the starting signal, the weather yacht must 
keep clear, but the leeward yacht’s course must be to 
the next mark, and she may be disqualified on protest 
if she obstructs the weather yacht by sailing a course 
she cannot justify to the Race Committee. 1 

The Authors were once asked to give an opinion on 
this point, and the following was their answer. 

Ouestion : 

Whether before the start a leeward yacht may luff 
slowly at pleasure without considering whether an 
overlapping boat to windward is overtaking, converg¬ 
ing, or not, is to be considered a correct ruling? If 
not, when does the right of a leeward boat to create 
converging courses by luffing cease? 

Answer : 

Before the starting signal, no question of proper 
course can arise. 

1. If either yacht is overtaking, the conditions are 
covered by Racing Rule XII., Sec. 6, Clauses (a) and 

(b) . 

2. If neither yacht is overtaking, the windward 
yacht must keep clear, under Racing Rule XII., Sec¬ 
tions 3 and 4. As the leeward yacht has the right-of- 
way, she may luff slowly, at pleasure, but the leeward 
yacht must not start a luff when in a position where 


1 Similar to the interpretation by the Y. R. A. of Great Britain. 

80 



by Racing Rule XII., Sec. 6, Clause (a), she would 
be forbidden to continue a luff. 

Under the above conditions, the leeward yacht 
might carry the windward yacht past or to windward 
of the starting mark. 

When the starting signal is given, there is a proper 
course, and the leeward yacht should bear away for 
the line if in a position to do so. If the windward 
yacht has an overlap on the new course then the lee¬ 
ward yacht must give her room. 

4. Right-of-Way Converging Close-Hauled. 

When two yachts, both close-hauled on the same tack, 
are converging 1 by reason of the leeward yacht holding a 
better wind and neither can claim the rights of a yacht 
being overtaken, then the yacht to windward shall keep 
clear. 

This section gives the leeward yacht, which is the 
more weatherly of the two under existing conditions, 
the right to hold her course without regard to the 
weather yacht. The section does not refer to an over¬ 
taking yacht, which differs essentially from a yacht 
converging. 

This section, like Sections 1, 2, and 3, was framed 
particularly to avoid collision. After the starting sig¬ 
nal the yacht holding right-of-way may be disquali¬ 
fied on protest if she obstructs the other by steering 
a course unreasonably wide of her own proper course 
for the next mark, taking wind, tide, and other con¬ 
ditions into consideration. Before the starting signal, 


81 


no question of proper course can arise and the yacht 
holding right-of-way may alter her course in any rea¬ 
sonable manner. 1 

5. Right-of-Way. Altering Course. 

When of tzvo yachts one is obliged to keep clear, the 
other [subject to the provisions of Section 6, Clause (a)], 
shall not so alter her course as to involve the risk of 
fouling. 

This section means that, when one yacht has to 
keep clear of another, the other shall not alter her 
course to create a risk or danger of fouling, but a 
yacht holding right-of-way has the privilege to alter 
her course, at the last minute, in order to avoid a col¬ 
lision ; and such an alteration of course should not be 
construed as misleading or balking the other yacht. 

This section does not override the provisions stated 
in the “Overtaking, Luffing, and Bearing Away” sec¬ 
tion, Clause (a). 

A yacht having right-of-way may alter her course, 
that is, not necessarily hold a steady course, so long 
as she does not mislead the other in her efforts to keep 
clear. As questions of this nature can only be set¬ 
tled by protest, after hearing all the facts, a Commit¬ 
tee should hardly be expected to disqualify under 
Rule XIX., Section 4. 

In case of protest, a yacht should be disqualified on 
the facts, even though an actual collision did not re¬ 
sult. A risk of foul is all that is necessary. 

1 Similar to the interpretation by the Y. R. A. of Great Britain. 

82 



6. Right-of-Way, Overtaking, Luffing, and Bear¬ 
ing Away. 

A yacht overtaking another yacht shall keep clear of 
the overtaken yacht. 

This is the next most important section after that 
of the starboard and port tack [Section 2 , Clause (a)], 
and complicated questions of right-of-way frequently 
arise through its infraction. If a racing helmsman 
would only keep in mind what is meant by an over¬ 
taking yacht, many knotty problems and not a little 
hard feeling would be avoided. 

The section is considered so important that the fol¬ 
lowing clause has been added at the end: 

The provisions of this section override Section 2 (b), 
Section 3 , and Section 5 of this Rule. 

Section 2 (b) refers to yachts on same point of sailing, 
with wind on opposite sides, when both yachts are free 
or have the wind aft; Section 3, to yachts on same point 
of sailing, with wind on same side, when both yachts 
are free or have the wind aft; and Section 5, to yachts 
altering course. It will be noticed that Section 
4 is not over-ridden because it does not refer to over¬ 
taking conditions, and that Section 2 (a) is allowed 
to stand, because under it the yachts must converge 
close-hauled on opposite tacks and, therefore, neither 
can be an overtaking yacht. 

The section is very properly divided into two 
clauses, (a) and (b), because a yacht coming from a 
position clear astern of another, while sailing approx¬ 
imately the same course, has a choice of sides on 


83 


which she can essay to pass the overtaken yacht, that 
is on her windward side or on her leeward side. 

These two conditions will be discussed separately, 
as they involve a difference in behavior. 

(a) Passing to Windward. 

Provided that the overtaking yacht makes her overlap 
on the side opposite to that on which the overtaken yacht 
then carries her main boom, the overtaken yacht may luff 
as she pleases to prevent an overtaking yacht passing her 
to windward until the overtaken yacht is in such a posi¬ 
tion that her bowsprit end, or stem head, if she has no 
bowsprit, would strike the overtaking yacht abaft the 
main shrouds, when her right to luff further from her 
course shall cease. 

The fairness of this clause is self-evident. If the 
overtaking yacht elects to pass to weather of the over¬ 
taken one, which under the circumstances is sailing 
the slower of the two, and thus preserves the full 
strength of the breeze while blanketing the leeward 
yacht, she is gaining a decided advantage. The clause, 
therefore, gives to the weaker, temporarily at least, 
the right to protect herself from being blanketed. This 
right 'is the privilege of luffing as she pleases, that is 
slowly or suddenly, in any manner, just as if the over¬ 
taking yacht were not within risk of a foul. To avoid 
being luffed, the overtaking or faster yacht should have 
passed, or tried to pass to leeward. 

The expression “luff as she pleases” can have only 
one meaning, and the luffing may commence gently 
or suddenly at will and without any warning. The 


84 


overtaken yacht does not have to look out for the 
overtaking yacht, which must keep clear. 

A yacht passing to the weather of an overtaken 
yacht must be on the alert, must expect a luff in any 
manner, and be prepared to meet it. The weather 
yacht always should respond to a luff and keep clear; 
and, if she doubts the rights of the leeward yacht 
to luff, she should protest. 

This right of luffing as she pleases, however, is 
strictly limited to an overtaken yacht, and is not granted 
to every yacht that finds another on or approaching 
her weather side. Notwithstanding this limitation, 
which is so clear in the rules, a leeward yacht occa¬ 
sionally will luff a yacht, which she finds on her 
weather, far off her course to the next mark. Com¬ 
mittees wonder why a weather yacht, when not over¬ 
taking, does not protest such a maneuver. 

In case of protest under Clause (a), a weather yacht 
would have to prove, that she did converge into the 
weather position, and had not been clear astern while 
sailing approximately the same course. A Commit¬ 
tee could not disqualify without protest, because the 
maneuver might not be a self-evident violation, as it 
might be made with the assent of both yachts. 
Furthermore, the Committee might not be in a posi¬ 
tion to judge whether there was clear water between 
them before the overlap was established. 

Under the conditions of overtaking, which is the 
essence of this section, the leeward yacht may begin 
to luff after the overtaking yacht is approaching so as 
to involve a risk of a foul; and may continue to luff 
until her bowsprit end, or stem-head if she has no bow- 


85 


sprit, would strike the overtaking yacht abaft the main 
shrouds. When this latter position is reached, then 
the leeward yacht must alter her course, in a reasonable 
manner, for the next mark. 

The weather yacht, having established her rights to 
pass to weather by having succeeded in the luffing, 
must still keep clear; while the leeward yacht having 
forfeited her rights to luff further, should not prevent 
the weather yacht from returning to her proper course 
in a reasonable manner. If, in this bearing away, the 
leeward yacht again should reach a position of being 
overtaken, she may begin to luff anew. 

If two yachts are sailing with the wind aft and with 
main booms on opposite sides, and if the overtaking 
yacht tries to pass the leading yacht on the side over 
which she carries her boom, then the leader, or over- 



i 

i 


Poo/on 1 Pos/f/on 2 

F/gure J2ZT. 


86 











taken yacht, may not gybe after a risk of collision is 
involved and claim a right to luff under this clause. 
Such a condition is explained in Figure VIII. Sup¬ 
pose A is about to overtake B, as in Position 1, and 
elects to pass on the side that B carries her main 
boom. Then B may gybe before they are close enough 
to involve a risk of collision, and preserve her right to 
luff under this clause. If, however, B delays gybing 
until after a risk of collision is involved, as in Position 2, 
she then loses her right to luff A. B may gybe, of 
course, but then could not claim any right to luff un¬ 
der Clause (a). 

(b) Passing to Leeward. 

An overtaken yacht mast never bear away to prevent 
another yacht from passing her to leeward—the lee side 
to be considered that on which the leading yacht of the 
two carries her main boom. The overtaking yacht must 
not luff until she has drawn clear ahead of the yacht 
which she has overtaken. 

As Clause (a) defines the right-of-way when an 
overtaking yacht passes an overtaken one to windward, 
so does Clause (b) define the right when the over¬ 
taking yacht passes to leeward. It will be noted that, 
when the overtaken yacht is being passed to wind¬ 
ward, she may luff as she pleases in an effort or strug¬ 
gle to prevent being blanketed. But when the over¬ 
taking yacht kindly elects (not always with gener¬ 
osity.) to pass the other to leeward, then the overtaken 
yacht must not bear away to hinder or prevent. 

87 


The words “must not bear away” mean off the 
proper course. One should read again the idefinit'ion of 
proper course (see page 17) to fully comprehend this 
meaning. A yacht being overtaken may sail somewhat 
off her proper course, if tide, wind, or other conditions 
should so justify; but if a yacht does bear away, from 
full-and-by if on the wind or from the next mark if 
free, the burden of proof would lie on the overtaken 
yacht to justify its claim, that it was only doing so 
to benefit by tide, wind, or other conditions. These 
conditions are frequently difficult to prove. 

The authors were once asked a question regarding 
the meaning of this clause, and the opinion rendered is 
here given. 

Question : 

“We should suggest the advisability of your render¬ 
ing an official interpretation of the following clause: 
‘An overtaken yacht must never bear away to prevent 
another yacht from passing her to leeward.’ 

“This clause has always been so vague and subject 
to so many different interpretations that it has caused 
much trouble and ill feeling, and should be settled 
finally one way or the other.’’ 

Answer : 

“Before the starting signal, a yacht must never bear 
away, after an overlap is established, to prevent an¬ 
other yacht which ranks as an overtaking yacht from 
passing her to leeward. 

“After the starting signal, the conditions are de¬ 
fined under Racing Rule XIII., Section 6, Clause (b). 


88 


“The first sentence of this clause means that a yacht 
must never bear away out of her proper course to prevent 
any yacht which ranks as an overtaking yacht from 
passing her to leeward. 

“The last sentence of this clause means that a yacht 
must not luff so as to foul a windward yacht or cause 
her to alter her course and therefore must not luff as she 
pleases until she has drawn clear. 

“During the existence of overtaking conditions the 
proper course is, prima facie, nothing to leeward of full- 
and-by if on the wind, or to the next mark, if the wind 
be free; that there may be conditions of tide or circum¬ 
stances other than the desire to prevent the competi¬ 
tor overtaking to leeward which justify a more lee¬ 
ward course; the responsibility for proving the justi¬ 
fication for such a leeward course would lie upon the 
weather yacht.” 

The last sentence of clause (b) means that the over¬ 
taking yacht to leeward must not luff so as to cause the 
overtaken yacht to windward to alter her course, that 
is must not begin to luff until she has drawn clear 
ahead of the yacht that has been overtaken, and has 
reached a position where all danger or risk of a foul 
is eliminated. 

Should the overtaking yacht to leeward get clear 
ahead, and should circumstances change so that she 
becomes an overtaken yacht, then she can luff as she 
pleases, because the conditions are now covered by 
Clause (a). . 


89 


Reaching a Yacht Past a Mark 

Under this section, a yacht may carry another past 
a mark of the course, and such is common practice. 
In Figure IX. (a), suppose x is a mark of the course, 
and yacht W essays to pass L to weather. Now, L 
may luff, or continue her course at will, if W is an 
overtaking yacht and establishes her overlap before 
the mark is reached by L. Under overtaking con¬ 
ditions, the proper course for L ceases when her right 



F/gureJEE. 


90 




to luff begins, but L’s proper course begins again 
when her right to luff ceases. 

Again, in (b) of the same figure, if yacht L essays 
to pass W to leeward then W may continue to sail to 
the next mark, which is mark x. When the mark is 
reached, W may continue to sail in the same direc¬ 
tion, and not go round the mark, as there is no rule 
whereby L- can compel W to go about on the other 
tack. However if W, when the mark is reached, is 
not sailing on the wind, it is her duty to alter her 
course so as to sail full-and-by, or as close to the wind 
as she can lay with advantage, and thus avoid any 
question of dispute under clause (b) of this section. 

7. Right-of-Way. Rights on New Course. 

A yacht shall not be entitled to her rights on a new 
course : 

(a) Until she has 1 filled away. 

(b) If she so alters her course as to involve the im¬ 
mediate risk of fouling another yacht which, owing to her 
position, cannot keep clear. 

It seems clear that the conditions mentioned in both 
clauses must be fulfilled in order to entitle a yacht to 
her rights on a new course; namely, 

First, Filling away. 

Second, Doing so without interfering with another 
yacht. 

The second clause (b) was taken almost literally 
from the British Y. R. A. rules, which include both 
clauses in one sentence and which is now the Inter¬ 
national rule (adopted, in this form, by all yachting 


91 


nations with the exception of the United States). The 
International rule is as follows: “Clause (i), a yacht 
may not tack so as to involve risk of collision with 
another yacht before filling on her new tack; nor so 
as to involve risk of collision with another yacht 
which, owing to her position, cannot keep out of the 
way.” 

As the American and the International rules are, 
in the opinion of the authors, identical in meaning, 
they have adopted the explanatory foot-note, added 
by council of the Y. R. A., in accordance with the 
policy stated in the Preface to the First Edition of 
this work. 

The foot-note of the Y. R. A. reads: “A yacht which 
tacks so close to another as not to be able to gather 
full way before a collision would occur must be dis¬ 
qualified.” 

Clause (a) of the American rule is clear and stood 
alone until the conference in 1912 decided to add 
Clause (b). This second clause (b), was added in 
order to prevent and penalize a sudden alteration of 
course entailing risk of fouling another yacht with es¬ 
tablished rights, and to define the point at which the 
yacht which has altered her helm, establishes her 
rights. Before clause (b) was added there was room 
for difference of opinion. 

There still remained a confusion of thought, which 
the council of the Y. R. A. sought to abolish by the ad¬ 
dition of the explanatory foot-note, quoted above. 

This rule, while generally understood as defining 
liabilities of a yacht changing from port to starboard 
tack, in reality is meant to prevent and penalize a 


92 


sudden alteration of helm and change from either 
tack, so as to involve risk of fouling another yacht 
which, from her position, cannot go clear. 

While it might be possible, by the exercise of ex¬ 
ceptional skill for a helmsman of a yacht to avoid a foul 
under dangerous conditions, it should be clearly un¬ 
derstood that “risk of foul” will be interpreted, by 
competent and experienced committeemen, strictly 
with due regard to weather conditions, size of respec¬ 
tive yachts, and other qualifying conditions, minimiz¬ 
ing or increasing such risk. 

A yacht has no rights until she has filled away and 
gathered headway on her new tack. Suppose yacht 
L approaches W, as in Figure X, and goes about under 





Figure JC. 




W’s lee, then L has no right-of-way over W, until 
she has sailed on the new tack long enough to gather 
headway. It may be remarked in connection with 


93 



this Figure that L could not luff W under Section 6, 
because W was not an overtaking boat to windward, 
as she did not come up from clear astern while sailing 
the same or nearly the same course. 

In short, a yacht, which tacks and does not gather 
headway before a risk of collision would occur, no 
matter on which side her main boom may be, should 
be disqualified. 

The last Clause (b) means that a yacht may not tack 
in front of another as to involve the immediate risk of 
a foul, when the other cannot keep clear. It some¬ 
times happens that a yacht rounding a mark on the 
port tack, Figure XI., will sail for two or three lengths 
and then come about on the starboard tack. In the 
meanwhile, another yacht in rounding the mark has 
hauled up between the first one and the mark. They 
meet, with the first one on the starboard tack, but the 
second is too close to pay off under her stern, and 
cannot come about without fouling the mark. This 
instance is shown in Figure XI, where yacht A reaches 
the mark first and does not round close, and yacht B 
rounds between A and the mark. Now, A cannot 
alter her course to involve fouling B (even if on the 
starboard tack), because B cannot keep clear, owing 
to her position. 

A yacht during a race may not suddenly heave-to 
in front of another and then claim, that, “being hove 
to,” she should be considered as an obstruction to sea 
room, and that the other must go clear. This is classed 
as an alteration of course involving immediate risk of 
fouling, and also is considered as unfair sailing. 


V 


94 


8. Right-of-Way. Passing and Rounding Marks. 

If an overlap exists between two yachts when both of 
them, without tacking, are about to pass a mark on a re¬ 
quired side, then the outside yacht must give the inside 
yacht room to pass clear of the mark. 

A yacht shall not, however, be justified in attempting 
to establish an overlap and thus force a passage between 
another yacht and 1 the mark after the latter yacht has 
altered her helm for the purpose of rounding. 




Figure JET. 

Disputes often arise when yachts are about to pass 
a mark of the course on the required side, as captains 
do not quickly recognize the rights-of-way of the sev¬ 
eral yachts. For interpretations of the racing rules 
and for deciding protests, two yachts only are consid- 


95 





ered, but it is well to remember that, in racing, a yacht 
may be obliged to give room for a number of yachts. 
Thus if there is a question between X and Y, a third 
yacht Z cannot be involved. X may have a question 
with Y, and another question with Z; or Y with Z, 
and another with X; but each question must be con¬ 
sidered separately. 

Under the first paragraph, the right to claim room 
to pass between a mark and another yacht hinges on 
the overlap and the same tack. To establish an overlap 
both yachts must be sailing approximately the same 
course, that is within three points or about 33 degrees, 
and when one yacht has no longer a free choice on 
which side of the other she shall pass. If these con¬ 
ditions, same course and no choice of side, do not 
exist, this section does not apply. It also will be 
noted, that the section only applies to marks of the 
course and not to obstructions, which latter are cov¬ 
ered by the next Section, Number 9. A mark of the 
course remains a mark, until the next one is rounded, 
after which it becomes an obstruction, should the 
yachts return anywhere near to it. 

If an overlap exists before the outside yacht reaches 
the mark, that is before she has to alter her helm, in 
any manner, to clear or round the mark, then the out¬ 
side yacht must give the inside yacht sufficient room 
for safety. In the same way the inside yacht cannot 
claim room, unless she establishes the overlap before 
the outside yacht reaches the mark, that is before the 
latter is about to alter her helm for the purpose of 
clearing or rounding the mark. As the inside yacht 
knows, without being actually told, that the other is 


96 


about to alter her course to round the mark, ignorance 
of the fact that this change of course will slacken 
speed, is no excuse for an inside yacht to rush up and 
claim room. The rule contemplates a fair establish¬ 
ment of an overlap, while sailing the same or nearly 
the same course on the same tack, at some reasonable 
distance before the mark is reached. 

The second paragraph forbids a yacht trying “to 
force a passage” by establishing an overlap at the last 
instant, when the leading yacht, is about to alter her 
helm for the purpose of rounding, or is about to pass 
a mark. The rule contemplates that the helm is 
altered when the mark is reached, and not a long dis¬ 
tance away. Thus, when yachts are beating toward 
a mark, the helm might be altered so that the the yacht 
could reach and pass by the mark on the proper side, 
when the yacht was a long distance off. Such an altera¬ 
tion of helm is not contemplated by this section, which, 
clearly from its wording and its relation to the other 
sections, means when the mark is reached. 

A leading yacht is considered to have reached a mark 
when she has to mind 1 her helm for the purpose of round¬ 
ing or passing it. 

If a leading yacht steers wide of a mark in round¬ 
ing, and another takes advantage of it and passes 
between such yacht and the mark, by simply sailing 
inside, the maneuver would be jutifiable, as the passage 
was not forced. The same reasoning would apply if 
the yachts were being crowded together by a strong 
tide or in a calm. 


97 


To decide protests under this section, determine if 
an overlap was established before the mark was reached. 
If so, the inside yacht has a claim for room. 

At the starting line questions often arise under this 
section, but it is to be remembered 1 that, prior to the 
starting signal, the Committee boat and the mark at 
the other end of the line simply are obstructions to 
sea room; and that after the starting signal, they are 
both marks of the course. 

In figure XII. (a), if two yachts, A and B, come 
together in such a manner that B has an overlap on 
A, and then sail for one of the marks, A would have to 
give B room to pass inside, provided the starting sig¬ 
nal was made before A reached the mark. If the 
starting signal was not made, when A reached the 
mark, which is then simply an obstruction, A should 
give B room (to prevent a collision) and protest B, 
under Rule XII., Sections 3 or 4, as she is the wind¬ 
ward yacht and has to keep clear, or under Rule XII., 
Section 9 when the question would be settled by de¬ 
termining whether B could have gone clear by altering 
her course. 

In position (b) of the same figure, if B sail into 
the position shown, when close to the mark, then she 
should be disqualified if A has to alter her course to 
let B pass inside; because an overlap was not estab¬ 
lished, since the yachts, A and B, were not sailing the 
same or nearly the same course, and because it was 
A’s intention (known to B) to alter her helm at that 
instant or very shortly thereafter. Yacht B should 
have gone under A’s stern. 


98 






A 




f/yar& XU. 


99 


) 

* 

> 

■> 


> 

i ) 
> 


> ) ) 











Similarly a condition may arise like that shown in 
position (c) of the same figure, where four yachts, A', 
B, C, and D, are all trying to pass a mark at one end 
of the starting line. B has an overlap on A, C on B, and 
D on C; but D has not an overlap on A, as she is 
not sailing the same or nearly the same course. If A 
holds her course long enough, she may not have time 
and distance to give B room to clear C, and C room 
to clear D. This is always a risky and dangerous 
start. After the starting signal, A must give room 
to B, and also sufficient room to. let C and D pass inside. 
Before the starting signal, A has the right-of-way under 
Sections 3, 4, or 9, as explained in position (a). How¬ 
ever, if B, C, and D have not altered their courses in 
time to prevent collisions then A should give room 
and protest. 

9. Right-of-Way. Obstruction to Sea Room. 

When a yacht is approaching a shore, shoal, pier, rock, 
vessel, or other dangerous obstruction, and cannot go 
clear by altering her course without fouling another yacht, 
then the latter shall, on being hailed by the Club member 
in charge of the former, at once give room; and in case 
one yacht is forced to tack or to bear azvay in order to 
give room, the other shall also tack or bear away as the 
case may be at as near the same time as is possible with¬ 
out danger of folding. But should such obstruction be a 
designated mark of the course, a yacht forcing another 
to tack under the provisions of this section shall be dis¬ 
qualified. (See Ride XIX., Section 2 , where this rule is 
particularly referred to.) 

100 




- 

A vessel under way (including another yacht racingj 
of which the yacht concerned has to keep out of the way, 
ranks as an obstruction for the purpose of this rule. 


It is important to distinguish between obstructions 
(including other vessels sailing) and marks. 

If a yacht cannot go clear of a vessel at anchor in 
the course, it should not ask for room if there is free 
water on both sides of the obstruction. Such a posi¬ 
tion is shown in Figure XIII., in which x is the next 
mark, and Y a vessel at anchor with clear water on 
both sides. Then A has no right to hail B to alter 
her course to let A pass close under Y’s stern. A 
should luff clear of Y, or go about on a short tack, if 
she cannot luff clear. 

Suppose two yachts, close hauled on port tack un¬ 
der overlapping conditions, are approaching a vessel 
under way, or another yacht racing, close hauled on 
starboard tack, then such vessel ranks as an obstruc- 


101 



Wmd 


* 



W«9 r am ( ct) 



Diagram (h) 


Figure Jilfl-Z 


tion under the rule. Therefore, as shown in diagram 
XIII-2, (a), yacht L could hail W about. Suppose 
the same yachts are approaching the vessel as shown 
in diagram (b) ; when yacht L could go clear, then 
L may not hail W, because L can go clear. 

The last sentence of the first paragraph, reading 
“But should such obstruction be a designated mark of 
the course, a yacht forcing another to tack . . . 

was added to this section, when the racing rules were 
revised in 1895, to cover the condition which caused the 
Voluntecr-Gracie protest. 1 

1 Grade fouled Volunteer, in 1891, when approaching a weather 
mark off Block Island, in a race of the New York Yacht Club. 
Grade could not fetch the mark on the required side, while 
Volunteer , on Grade’s weather, could go clear. The situation 
was similar to the diagram in Figure XIV. (a). Grade forced 
Volunteer to tack and was disqualified. The Regatta Committee 
of the New York Yacht Club, at the end of their Report for 
1891, made the following observations: “A mark is not an ob¬ 
struction” to sea room, but is considered a dangerous obstruc¬ 
tion “when the mark is a vessel or other formidable object and 
a yacht is in peril of fouling it under dangerous conditions. 


102 




In Figure XIV. (a), if yacht L cannot go clear of 
the mark, but must come about to pass it on the re¬ 
quired side, she should be disqualified for forcing W 
to tack in order to give her room. If L should hail 



figure JEZF. 



W, to prevent being wrecked or damaged by collision 
with the mark, W should give room, and L should be 
disqualified on protest. 


Here the mark is treated as an obstruction through the crisis 
or, in other words, when and while the question of danger 
enters.” 

“It is true that, being a mark, there must be sea room on both 
sides, and therefore a yacht is • responsible for the danger, if, 
erring in judging her ability to clear on one side, she has blun¬ 
dered on so far that she can no longer pass on the other.” 

“But no matter what the cause—or whether she was within 
the rules or not—the fact exists that there is danger of wrecking, 
and therefore Section 16* comes in and gives her right-of-way.” 
“But if, in taking her right-of-way, she interferes with the out¬ 
side yacht, she may be disqualified. 

*Section 16, in 1891, was the same as Section 9 of the present 
rules, without the sentence, added in 1895, beginning “But should 
such obstruction be a designated mark. . . .” 

103 








When two yachts, L and W, as shown in Figure 
XIV. (b), are approaching, close-hauled a long mark, 
such as a large steam yacht or a light-vessel, and L 
cannot go clear without tacking, then L should be 
disqualified if she forces W to tack in order to give 
room. The section clearly states that “should such 
obstruction be a designated mark of the course, a 
yacht forcing another to tack under the provisions of 
this section shall be disqualified.” 

It would be well for Committees to select small ob¬ 
jects for marks of a course, so as to avoid confusion 
between “marks” and “obstructions.” 

It is essential under this section, whenever a hail 
is necessary, that the hail should be made by the 

Club member on board. This provision was inserted 
to prevent sharp practices. 

When a Club member on a yacht hails for room, it 
is the essence of the rule that both yachts should tack 
or bear away, as the case may be, at as near the 

same time as possible. It cannot be considered fair 

to ask for room, and then stand on the same tack 

longer than the yacht forced to change her course. 
Both yachts should alter their helms at the same time, 
as near as may be. 

If a yacht does tack to clear a shoal or obstruction, 
and then meets another which has the right-of-way, 
the former should tack again and then hail for room. 
A yacht headed away from a shoal or other obstruction 
cannot force another about, simply because she has 
just tacked to get away from the obstruction. It may 
be hard not to do so, but the rule is clear, namely the 


104 


yacht must be approaching, not heading away from, 
the shore shoal, pier, rock, vessel, or other obstruction. 

Although this is the only rule in which a hail is re¬ 
quired it is considered good seamanship and better 
sportsmanship to hail another, whenever a change of 
course is intended, which could not be foreseen by the 
opponent. 

Courtesy in Passing 

In yacht racing, a certain amount of courtesy should 
be shown, though the racing rules do not provide for it. 

It is customary in the majority of American regattas 
to start a number of different classes, with large and 
small yachts sailing the same or nearly the same 
courses. In consequence, it often happens that a large 
and a small yacht meet with the small one having the 
right-of-way. It is the duty of the large one to keep 
clear, and the Committee must so rule if the small yacht 
insists on her rights. If the yacht is a schooner, in 
one of the larger classes, and has a foretopsail and 
maintopmast-staysail set, it is very hard to be forced 
about, when on the port tack, by a sloop of the P 
or Q class or smaller, which she may meet on the star¬ 
board tack. While technically the large schooner 
should keep clear, it would be courteous for the small 
sloop to tack, because she can go about without trouble 
and lose but little headway, while the schooner has to 
care for her foretopsail and maintopmast-staysail, and 
further because these vessels are not racing in the 
same class. The schooner should prepare for tacking 
before it is too late, as the small craft may not give 
way. 


105 


In like manner it would be an act of courtesy on the 
part of a large yacht, if she should overtake a much 
smaller one on the same course, to pass to leeward 1 and 
not subject the small craft to being blanketed. 

Similar acts of courtesy might occur in other ways 
than above mentioned, but need only apply in cases 
where the yachts are sailing in different class races 
and are not competing against one another. 

When a yacht intends to perform such acts of 
courtesy, it is well to give due notice, otherwise a 
dangerous situation may arise. A good motto would 
be, prepare and not trust to courtesy which may not 
be extended. 


RULE XIII 

Wrecking or Shifting of a Mark 

Should any mark be missing or moved from its proper 
position during a race, the Regatta Committee shall, if 
possible, replace it or substitute a boat with Code dag 
“O” hoisted, and call attention by gun or whistle . Fail¬ 
ing thus to reestablish the mark, the race may be ordered 
resailed or not, at the option of the Regatta Committee. 

This rule refers to the wrecking or shifting of a 
mark, and provides that it may be replaced or a boat 
substituted for it by the Committee, failing which 
the Committee may order the race to be resailed, or 
not, at its option. In exercising this option, the Com¬ 
mittee should be careful not to injure the standing of 
any competing yacht, as many sail for series prizes or 
points during the season. Proper inquiry would easily 
determine this matter. 


106 


RULE XIV 


Accidents 

Each yacht shall render every possible assistance to any 
vessel or person in peril, and if in the judgment of the 
Regatta Committee she shall have thereby injured her 
chances of zvinning, they shall order the race resailed be¬ 
tween such yacht and the winner in her class. 

This rule requires that each yacht shall render 
assistance to all yachts or persons in peril. If a yacht 
cannot be of such assistance, she may keep on and 
finish. The burden of proof would lie on the yacht 
so continuing. 

A man overboard is an accident under this section, 
which should be considered with Rule V., Section 6. 

When a man falls overboard, it is fair to assume it 
was an accident. With limited crews, there is little 
or no advantage in having a man jump overboard on 
purpose. The saving in weight is too trivial a matter 
to consider, except on very small yachts. However, 
if it can be shown that the falling overboard of a 
man was not accidental, the Committee should hold 
the yacht under Rule V., Section 6. 

Should a man, lost overboard, be rescued by a boat 
not in the race the yacht may continue and finish with¬ 
out penalty. In doing so, the yacht must assume the 
burden of proof that her continuance in the race did 
not imperil the man’s life. 

If a yacht launches her boat to rescue a man, she should 
recover the boat before continuing. The theory is that 
the boat is an essential part of a yacht’s equipment, while 


107 


a man less on board is not, since a yacht may race with 
a smaller crew than the maximum number mentioned 
in Rule V., Section 5. 

If a yacht loses a man overboard and returns to pick 
him up, and thereby is prevented from having a chance 
to win the race, she has no claim for a resailed race 
under this section. The meaning of the section is 
that such a yacht must suffer for her own accident. 

On the contrary, if a yacht has a chance to win, 
as judged by the Committee, because it is leading or is 
in a commanding .position, and is delayed because it 
rescues or assists in rescuing a man who has fallen 
overboard from a competing yacht or other vessel 
(not itself), or is delayed by rendering legitimate as¬ 
sistance to another, then such a yacht would have 
the right to ask for a resailed race. 

The fairness of the above should be clear to all. A 
yacht must not lose a man overboard, otherwise she 
might have a man washed (?) overboard and claim a 
resailed race under conditions when she could not 
win. 

There was an interesting case, submitted to a Com¬ 
mittee of which one of the Authors was a member, of 
a man washed overboard, rescued by a launch, and 
carried back by the launch and put on board the 
yacht, thus saving time for the yacht, as she only 
came back part way to the place where the man fell 
overboard. A competing yacht desired to protest, 
because the yacht did not return for the man, but the 
Committee in charge of the race decided there was 
no ground for a protest, as the yacht rendered every 


108 


possible assistance, and the rule neither required nor 
contemplated that the man had to remain in the water 
until the yacht actually returned to him at the place 
where he fell overboard. 

RULE XV 

Postponed and Resailed Races 

1. At any time before the Preparatory Signal the 
Regatta Committee shall have the power to postpone any 
race should unfavorable weather conditions render such 
postponement advisable. Should the race be postponed 
for the day. then such postponed race shall be considered 
a new race. The signal for such postponement shall be 
Code Hag “HP 

2 . At any time after the starting signal and before 
the finish the Regatta Committee shall have the power to 
declare off or order resailed any race, should unfavorable 
weather conditions render a finish improbable within the 
time limit. The signal denoting such action shall be Code 
Hag "JA New entries shall not be received for such re¬ 
sailed race, and a yacht disqualified in the original race 
shall not be eligible to start in the resailed race. 

This rule refers to postponed and resailed races, and 
should be considered with Rules XIII. and XIV. 

If a race has been started under the condition that 
there will be no time limit, it should never be declared 
off or stopped by the Committee, unless the weather 
conditions would endanger life. 


109 


RULE XVI 


Shortening Course 

Should it he necessary during a race to shorten the 
course, Code flag “M,” and two blasts of the whistle or 
two guns fired, shall show that the race is to be finished 
with the round about to be completed or at the mark 
where the Regatta Committee's boat is stationed when 
giving the signal, and the time allowance shall be pro¬ 
portionally reduced. 

Courses are occasionally shortened when the weather 
conditions render it impossible to finish the full course 
within the time limit, and when it is neither convenient 
nor possible to postpone the race to another day. 
When a decision is reached to shorten a course, the 
Committee should signal the fact without delay, as the 
yachts are entitled to receive this information as soon 
as possible and thus be enabled to maneuver with 
that end in view. 


RULE XVII 
Time of Race Limited 

Except when otherwise specified in the instructions, 
a race in any class in which no yacht has finished at one 
half hour after sunset shall be declared off. 

A time limit is specified both for convenience and 
to eliminate flukes due to drifting in light airs. 


110 


RULE XVIII 


Protest 

1. A yacht having cause, during a race, to protest 
against any other yacht for violation of these Rules shall 
at once display Code dag “B,” and keep such flag dying 
until the finish of the race. A protest must be supple¬ 
mented by a written statement of the facts, which must be 
sent to the Regatta Committee before 6 p.m. of the next 
(week) day following the race. 

2. If through protest the measurement of any yacht 
be called in question, the Regatta Committee shall direct 
the Measurer to remeasure such factor or factors of the 
rating formula as are nominated in the protest, disre¬ 
garding designers’ drawings and certificates, and the 
result as reported by him, shall be final. The expenses of 
such remeasurement shall be borne by the party against 
whom such protest is decided. 

3. The decision of the Regatta Committee, as to the 
facts involved in any protest under the Racing Rides and 
the report of the Measurer as to the physical measurement 
of a yacht upon remeasurement shall be dnal. 

Findings involving interpretations of these Rules may 
be appealed at their discretion by the Regatta Committee 
or the Measurer, as the case may be, and must be ap¬ 
pealed by them) upon the written application of any party 
interested, when received within ten days of the publica¬ 
tion of the decision in question, to the Executive Com¬ 
mittee of the Yacht Racing Association, 1 whose decision 
shall be final. 


1 This is the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. 

Ill 



Any such appeal must contain a written representation 
of the facts and of the decision of the Regatta Commit¬ 
tee; must be filed with the Secretary of the Yacht Racing 
Association, and in the case of appeal by request of a 
party other than the Regatta Committee or the Measurer 
must be accompanied by a deposit of $25.00 which shall 
be refunded to the party making the appeal if such ap¬ 
peal is sustained, or shall be paid to the club whose Re¬ 
gatta Committee or Measurer is appealed from if their 
decision is sustained. 

When a yacht feels that any act of another has 
violated the Racing Rules, she should protest and let 
the Race Committee settle the question. It is an 
owner’s duty to do so, especially when he considers 
that an important rule has been infringed. If an 
owner will not trouble himself to protect his yacht 
and crew, he must not complain. 

Yacht owners sometimes say they have been rac¬ 
ing for a great many years and have ne-ver filed a pro¬ 
test and never will. This is equivalent to saying that 
either they have never had an occasion to do so, or 
they have neglected their plain duty, and have per¬ 
mitted another to take the credit of winning. 

A protest flag must be displayed under the rule 
as a signal to both the Committee and the competing 
yachts. It should be hoisted without delay. 

The displaying of a protest flag by small yachts is 
a requirement that is overlooked by some Commit¬ 
tees, as small yachts seldom carry signal codes and 
often are not equipped to strictly comply with this 
provision. It is much more important to hoist a pro- 


112 


test flag on a large yacht than on a small one, and 
competing yachts are entitled to know as soon as 
possible that a protest is contemplated and the display 
of the flag gives such notice to the crews of both 
vessels. 

In case of protest, the written statement should be 
sent, in all cases, before the limit of time, but a pre¬ 
liminary statement does not bar a yacht from filing 
further evidence before the Committee takes up the 
matter for decision. The Committee should follow the 
usual legal practice of hearing evidence from both 
sides and any evidence that otherwise may be prop¬ 
erly presented. 

Section 2 needs no comment, as the meaning is per¬ 
fectly clear. 

Section 3 states that the Race Committee’s deci¬ 
sion as to facts and the Measurer’s report as to physi¬ 
cal measurements shall be final. The Committee’s de¬ 
cision should make clear the facts on which its opinion 
is based. Also, it should keep questions of fact sep¬ 
arate from all questions of interpretation or meaning, 
as an appeal is provided for on findings involving in¬ 
terpretations of the rules. The section quoted above 
is from the rules of the Yacht Racing Association of 
Long Island Sound. 

Some clubs, which are not members of this Asso¬ 
ciation, have adopted modifications to suit their own 
requirements. Thus, the corresponding wording in 
the rules of the New York Yacht Club is as follows: 

Findings involving interpretations of these Rules may 
he appealed by any of the parties involved in the protest, 


113 


provided that a majority of the Flag Officers certify that 
there are reasonable grounds upon which to base the ap¬ 
peal. Such majority of the Flag Officers shall refer the 
appeal for final decision to the Club. Such ap¬ 
peal, before being acted upon by the Flag Officers, must 
be reduced to a written representation of the facts and 
must be filed with the Secretary within thirty (30) days 
of the receipt of the Regatta Committee or Measurer's 
decision, as the case may be. If the appeal be referred to 
the Club, it shall be decided by a majority vote of the 
owners of sailing yachts (not less than seven being pres¬ 
ent ) at any meeting in the notice for which a summary 
of the appeal shall have been stated. 

As the races of the New York Yacht Club are open 
only to members of the club, there is merit in having 
all appeals referred to the club for decision. On the 
other hand, with clubs which give races open to 
yachts enrolled in any recognized yacht club, an ap¬ 
peal had best be made to some outside body. 

The plan of having a general board of appeal has 
merit, as long as the board is composed of those who 
are competent to judge of the meaning and application 
of the racing rules. Under the rules of the Yacht 
Racing Association of Great Britain, appeals may be 
made to the Council, as the National Authority, and 
its decision is final. This is a permanent organiza¬ 
tion, and its rulings have been of great assistance 
to the sport of yacht racing. In America, there is no 
body of equal standing to the Council of the Yacht 
Racing Association, but in time one may be created. 


114 


RULE XIX 


Disqualifications 

i. Each yacht must go fairly around the course, and 
in rounding each specified mark her track from the pre¬ 
ceding to the following mark must enclose it on the re¬ 
quired side. A yacht touching a mark, unless wrongfully 
compelled to do so by another yacht, shall at once abandon 
the race. 

Although not referred to in the rules, it has been 
recognized for years that a committee need not accept 
a yacht’s statement, based on dead reckoning, that she 
passed by or rounded a mark. A yacht should sub¬ 
stantiate her statement by other proof than dead reck¬ 
oning alone in all cases of protest. Marks which have 
to be rounded should be seen. If not seen, as in fog 
or thick weather, substantial evidence of actual round¬ 
ing should be advanced. When obscured by fog, often 
it is easier to prove that a mark has been “passed” 
on proper hand, than it is to prove that a mark was 
properly “rounded.” 

Many yachtsmen do not comprehend the meaning 
of this clause, that a yacht’s track from the preceding 
to the following mark must enclose it on the required 
side. Suppose the Committee should arrange for a 
triangular race, then to go around the course would 
clearly mean a track shown by Figure XV. (a). If 
the finish were as shown in Figure XV. (b), the course 
would not be around the triangle. If such a course 
were intended, the sailing instructions should clearly 
so state. When the instructions name the buoys and 


115 


their order of rounding, then course (a) would be the 
only proper one. 

The same is true for windward, or leeward, races 
and return, as shown in Figure XV. (c) and (d). 

In order to test whether a yacht has gone “fairly 
around the course,” imagine that the track is repre¬ 
sented by a thread. The thread, on being pulled taut, 
must enclose every mark of the course on the proper 
or required side. Suppose a yacht passes a Mark B, 
as in Figure XV. (e) and is carried back by the tide; 
then a breeze springs up, and the course sailed is as 
shown to the next Mark C. Although the yacht has 
passed Mark B, its track from the preceding Mark A 
to the following Mark C does not enclose Mark B. 
This can be illustrated by pulling taut the thread 
outlining the course, when it will be found that the 
thread does not enclose Mark B. 

In designating a course, the Committee should try 
to avoid gybing in heavy weather or rough seas, by 
arranging for the yachts to stay around the marks. 

It should be remembered that the Committee boat 
is not a mark of the course in the sense that it must be 
enclosed by the track, unless so designated in the sail¬ 
ing instructions for the race. It establishes one end 
of the starting and finishing lines, and as such should 
be treated as a mark under the last sentence of the 
clause, and not be touched by a yacht unless wrong¬ 
fully compelled to do so by another yacht. An ensign 
on the Committee boat does not count as an essential 
part of the boat, as defined under (f) Mark, Rule 
XII. In like manner, fishing lines or rods, any ob- 


116 



Figure -A¥. 


11 7 








ject accidentally or temporarily attached, or its un¬ 
der-water cable, do not count. 

The Committee boat, even when anchored in posi¬ 
tion, should not be rounded, unless directly specified 
in the sailing instruction. It does mark an end of the 
starting or finishing line of the course, and then 
it is a mark, as far as the other rules and the penalty 
of touching it under this section are concerned. 

If a yacht touches a mark and feels that it was the 
fault of another, the yacht may continue, but should 
hoist the protest flag at once, as required by Rule 
XVIII., Section 1 . There should be no delay in doing 
this, as it is a signal to the other yachts, that there 
is a question of doubt. 

A yacht touching a mark, without the excuse of 
being wrongfully compelled to do so by another, is 
required to abandon the race. 

2. If a yacht, in consequence of her neglect of any 
of these Rules, shall foul another yacht, or compel another 
yacht to foul any yacht, mark, or obstruction, or to run 
aground, she shall be disqualified and shall pay all dam¬ 
ages; and any yacht which shall wrongfully cause another 
to luff, bear away, or tack, in order to avoid fouling, or 
shall without due cause compel another yacht to give 
room or to tack under Section p, Ride XII., or shall her¬ 
self fail to tack or to bear azrny, as required in that Sec¬ 
tion, or shall in any other way infringe or fail to comply 
with any of these Rides or attempt to 1 win a race by other 
means than fair sailing and superior speed and skill, shall 
be disqualified. 


118 


J. After having been officially measured, a yacht shall 
not make alterations in her sail plan, without zvritten 
notice to the Regatta Committee, specifying the changes 
that have been made and embodying a request for re- 
measurement. 

These two sections are embodied in the rules to en¬ 
courage fair sailing and manly sportsmanship. They 
are intended to stop sharp practices and prevent un¬ 
fair advantages being taken. When a yacht is dis¬ 
qualified by the Committee, the grounds on which the 
disqualification is based should be clearly stated in 
writing. The reasons should be made known, both 
for cases of appeal and for instruction in future races. 

4. The Regatta Committee shall without a protest 
disqualify any yacht, should they know prior to the con¬ 
clusion of the race that she has committed a breach of 
these Rules. They may disqualify any yacht for a breach 
of these Rules should such breach be brought to their 
attention in writing prior to 6 p.m. of the (week) day 
following the race. 

Should a gross breach of these Rules be proved against 
any sailing master, he may be disqualified by the Regatta 
Committee for such time as the Regatta Committee may 
think fit, from sailing in any race held by the Club. 

This section states that the “Committee shall with¬ 
out a protest disqualify,” and! has led to some misun¬ 
derstandings. Some racing men imagine that the 
Committee sees every incident that occurs and is able 
to judge of its merits. As a matter of fact, a yacht 
may make a maneuver, the exact reason for which is 


119 


not clear to the Committee. An maneuver may be so 
slight as not to be noticed by the Committee. A 
Committee sees the yachts from one angle of view, 
and is not always in a position to judge the facts 
fairly without the aid of those sailing on the respective 
yachts. 

In certain cases, a yacht’s rights can only be pro¬ 
tected by protest. In such cases, the Committee could 
not disqualify without a protest being filed. Commit¬ 
tees are ready to disqualify for breaches of the rules 
which are too apparent to let pass, but owners should 
not rely upon a Committee to protect their rights, 
when they are unwilling to act for themselves. 

When a yacht feels that she has been injured by 
another yacht, it is the duty of the former to bring 
the matter to the attention of the Committee. 

Fouls should be avoided. When one yacht ap¬ 
proaches another so as to cause a risk of a foul, a 
wrong may be done just as much as if the yachts 
had actually collided. What is meant by a “risk” must 
be determined by an establishment of the facts, re¬ 
membering always that safety shall be paramount. 

Before disqualifying any yacht without a protest, 
the Committee should hold a hearing, and let the 
yacht explain her action, unless the breach of the 
rules was beyond all peradventure of discussion, like 
fouling the Committee boat, actual collision on port 
tack, or doing something for the purpose of cheating. 
When protests are filed, the Committee always should 
give both yachts a chance to express their views and 
opinions before rendering a decision, unless both 
yachts expressly waive this privilege. 


120 


The last clause of this section was inserted that a 
Committee could have power of holding professional 
sailing-masters responsible, should they try to win 
by sharp practices. This provision became necessary, 
because prize money is given to crews, and because 
many yachts are raced by professional skippers for 
owners who are not familiar with the rules and racing 
customs. 


RULE XX 
Award of Prizes 

1. The owner of a winning yacht, or his representative 
on the yacht during the race, shall, before the awarding 
of prizes, file with the Regatta Committee a declaration 
that all the rules and regulations were complied with. 

2. A prize shall be awarded to that yacht in each class 
zvhich makes the best corrected time over the course. 

j. If a zmnning yacht be disqualified the prize shall 
be awarded to the yacht making the next best corrected 
time over the course. 

Prizes are seldom awarded until after the close of 
the yachting season, namely, the first day of Novem¬ 
ber. This is done to comply with the requirement, 
under “Certificates of Measurement/’ that an error 
in measurement, discovered at any time prior to the 
first day of November, shall be corrected; and the re¬ 
sults of that season’s races made to conform to the 
correct measurement. 

“Dead heats’’ or ties occasionally occur in yachting. 
In such cases it is best, if possible, to divide the prize, 


121 


because it is often difficult to arrange to sail off the tie, 
and because the race cannot be sailed again under like 
conditions. If the prize is a cup, or other trophy, 
which cannot be divided, there is no choice except 
another race between the yachts sailing the dead heat. 
If the yachts can mutually agree, the winner could be 
decided by lot or by ballot, but a Committee cannot, 
under the Rules, insist on a choice being made in 
this manner. 

A Committee ought not to select one yacht, as the 
winner, by giving consideration to any matter that 
was not mentioned in the conditions for the race. It 
once happened that two yachts tied in “points” for 
a cup, and the Committee in charge decided that the 
yacht which had sailed the races in the shorter aggre¬ 
gate elapsed time was the winner. As this condition 
had not been mentioned prior to the races, the Com¬ 
mittee assumed a responsibility beyond its power. 
The yachts might have mutually agreed on the win¬ 
ner by lot or the Committee might have divided the 
prize. Failing these solutions the race should have 
been resailed. 


RULE XXI 
Suspension of Rules 

RULE XXII 
Amendments 

Rules governing suspension and amendments, vary 
according to requirements of the several clubs, and 
require no comment. 


122 


CHAPTER V 


Instructions to Measurer 

When the Racing Rules were discussed and amended 
in October, 1912 , at a conference of Yacht Clubs and 
Yacht Racing Associations, a set of Instructions was 
prepared, with the object that all Measurers should 
make their measurements as nearly alike as possible. 

Where scantling restrictions are in force, the Meas¬ 
urer, before issuing his certificate of Measurement, 
should see that such restrictions have been complied 
with. Thus, it was found that not one competitor for 
the Manhasset Cup Match, in 1912 , was built accord¬ 
ing to the scantling rules of the Yacht Racing Asso¬ 
ciation of Long Island Sound, although in some 
cases the differences were only of minor importance. 
The club, defending the cup, waived all scantling re¬ 
strictions at the last minute, while the yachts were 
assembled at the starting line, by availing itself of 
the mutual agreement clause in the deed of gift, and 
made it possible to sail the match. Otherwise, the 
Race Committee would have been obliged to call the 
match off. 

Note. Marginal numbers refer to corresponding marginal 
numbers in Rules of Measurement, Rule II., Chapter IV. 

L. W. L. MARKS. 

Before issuing the certificate of measurement the 
Measurer shall personally inspect the yacht when afloat 


123 


and shall see that the actual water line is parallel to the 
established plane and that both side marks are cut by the 
surface of the water. He may require such changes in 
the position of the ballast or equipment as are necessary 
to satisfy these conditions. 



2 The bow and stern marks shall be four inches long on 
the lower edge. 

J Yachts shall be required to satisfy rule under all con¬ 
ditions. 

4 CORRECTNESS OF MARKS 

Before making the hull measurements, the Measurer 
shall test the bow, stern, and side marks which indicate 
the “established plane” on the hull, to see if they lie in 
one plane. He shall also see that the marks conform with 
the rides as regards shape and size and that they are 
permanent and distinctive in color (black or red on white, 
white on black, etc.). No certificates shall be issued until 
the marks satisfy all requirements. 

5 Changes must have been made before filing of notice. 
L.W.L. 

The L. W. L. shall be measured by deducting from the 
overall length the length of overhangs. Overall length 
and overhangs shall be measured as follows: 

(a.) Overall Length. The overall length shall be 
measured along a line above the deck, parallel to the 


124 





“established plane,” between perpendiculars to that plane 
at the foremost point of the hull and at the aftermost 
point, exclusive■ of the rudder and rudder post. The pre¬ 
cise points to which the measurement is taken shall be 
marked by the' Measurer with tacks or some other perma¬ 
nent mark and a memorandum of the location of such 
marks shall be made and kept by the Measurer. 

(b.) Load Water-Line Overhang Deductions. The 
L. W. L. overhang length deductions shall be measured 
from the above perpendiculars to the points farthest for¬ 
ward and farthest aft where the lower edges of the marks 
indicating the “established plane” cut the contour of the 
stem and stern. 

Including bridging of concavities, as described in the 7 
fourth paragraph following. 

Including bridging of concavities, as described in the 8 
second paragraph following. 

See note 7. 9 

The center of such straight line shall be in the line of 10 
measurement. 

Sail Area 

Measurement shall be taken to the extreme outboard jiB. 
end of boom, including fittings or ornamental caps; or, 
in the case of any device or extension by means of which 
the outhaul may be increased beyond the end of the spar, 
to the extreme possible point of outhaul device. 

(a) The gaff shall be shoved forward so that the tongue ^ 
or jaws in case of metal jaws, shall be resting snug 
against the mast. 

(b) The outboard end shall be determined as specified 
for B. 


125 


J 3 p - 


(a) The upper point of measurement shall be the 
higher of the following points : the top of the highest 
sheave in the mast or topmast or the highest juncture of 
the eyebolts (center of eye) (Fig. 2) or pennants (lower 



*4 


15 


16H . 


side of pennant on opposite side of mast from block) 
(Fig. 2) of the halyard blocks—only such sheaves and 
blocks as are used to set the sails to which this section 
refers being considered. 

(b) The <( upper side of boom ,> shall be taken to mean 
the fair line of the top of the boom as determined by a 
straight batten at least five feet in length. 

If a saddle be used instead of a goose-neck, the lower 
point of measurement shall be the top of the boom when 
resting on the saddle. 

(a) If the black band be not in place at the time of 
measurement the Measurer may assume the upper point 
of measurement on a horizontal line through the upper 
inside edge of the throat cringle, or above if desired by 
the ozvner or his representative, but shall plainly indicate 
on the mast with a tack or by some other distinctive mark 
the position of the lower edge of the black band cor- 


126 








responding to this point. No certificate shall be issued 
until the Measurer is satisfied that this band is in place. 

(b) By throat cringle is meant upper inside edge of iy 
same. 

To be measured when hauled hard taut by hand. 18 T. 

The distance between the masts shall be measured in 
a line parallel to the established plane at the same height 
as the fore-boom. 



The upper point of measurement shall be taken as for 2 oP 
P. 

fa) For upper point of measurement see P. 2/P^ 

(b) ({ The center of the mast” is equivalent to the 22 
center-line of the yacht. 

Total Area. 

In the case of a forward or jibstay strut the area of 23 
the (( fore-triangle,” mentioned in the rule, means the area 
obtained by the formula: 


P 2 XJ 

2 


1 27 








*4 


25 

26 
2 ? 
28 


29 


The area of a club topsail shall be the area of the tri¬ 
angle formed by the three sides of the sail, such measure¬ 
ments to be taken from the sail when dry and stretched 
hard taut by hand. The area of the working topsail or 
jib-header mentioned is the area obtained from the tri¬ 
angle formed by G, P-H, and T. 

“Established L. W. L.” without corrections for con¬ 
cavities. 

Cross-sections below “established plane.” 

Added to the “measurement” 

All measurements shall be in feet and decimals thereof. 
All decimals beyond the second place shall be disregarded. 
Measurements of the hull which are taken when the yacht 
is afloat shall be made only when the weather conditions 
are suitable in the opinion of the Measurer. 

(1) In yachts rating 46 feet and over the Measurer 
may accept, save in case of protest of this factor, the de¬ 
signers’ certificate for the quarter-beam length of a yacht 
for the established load water-line plane, data for deter¬ 
mining which have been taken by the Measurer and 
furnished the designer. 

(2) Quarter-beam length shall be measured by de¬ 
ducting from the overall length the length of quarter- 
beam overhangs. 

(a) Overall length to be measured as specified in 
Section 6 of these Instructions. 

(b) Quarter-beam overhang deductions shall be meas¬ 
ured with a wooden Y-shaped instrument or calipers 
so constructed with vertical rods at the tips of the Y that 
their upper points can be set one-half the load water-line 
breadth apart (symmetrically with respect to the stem of 
the Y) at a distance above the water, when the instrument 


128 


is afloat, equal to one-tenth of this breadth with the neces¬ 
sary correction for any difference between* the established 
plane and the actual plane of dotation. With the instru¬ 
ment so set and afloat, measure at the bow the distance in 
a fore and aft direction between a plumb line suspended 
from the forward point of overall measurement to the 
center of the line joining the upper points of the vertical 
rods when in contact with the hull on both sides. De¬ 
termine the stern overhang in a similar manner. 

I. Personal Disabilities of Measurers 

Measurers shall not measure: 

(1) Yachts which they have themselves designed or 3 ° 
built, or in the construction or alteration of which they 
have in any respect taken part. 

(2) Yachts which have been built by firms in which 
they have a business interest. 

(3) Yachts of which they are themselves the owners 
or part owners. 

Measurement of Marconi Rig 

B.—'Length of boom measured from after-side of 
mast to outboard end. 

P'—Distance measured in a straight line from the 
upper side of the boom at the mast when touching 
the upper part of the gooseneck to the higher of the 
following points: the top of the highest sheave in 
the mast used for the mainsail, or the highest juncture 
of the mast with the eyebolt or pennant of the halyard 
blocks used for the mainsail. 


129 


S—The perpendicular from the mast to the line of 
P' taken where it is greatest. 

R—The horizontal distance from the mast to a 
plumb line suspended from the upper point of meas¬ 
urement of P' taken on a line with the top of the boom 
at the mast when the yacht is on even keel. 

The area of the mainsail shall be 


( 



B , 2 

2 + 3 S X P 


Any penalty for excess height shall be added to P' in 
making an estimate of sail area to determine the rat¬ 
ing measurement. 


Marginal References 11 and 12 

There have been some criticisms of the definition of 
the outboard end of a spar, as, for example, of the 
boom. The “Instructions” state that this measure¬ 
ment should be made to the extreme end, including 
fittings or ornamental caps. This includes any crown 
on the end of the boom, and certainly carries the 
measurement beyond the point to which the sail is 
actually hauled. There is ground for these criticisms 
as far as they refer to ornamental caps and to the 
crown, but it would not be safe, as has been suggested 
by some designers, to stop the measurement at the 
farthest point to which the outhaul device might carry 
the corner of the sail, as this is something which is 
easy of alteration. A well-known Measurer of an 
important club believes that it is not wise to diverge 
from the fundamental principle of charging the yacht 
with all the sail area that could possibly be placed 
upon definite unchangeable spars. 


130 



Marginal References 18 and 24 

The measurements of the sides of the topsail are 
liable to variation, as the sail is to be measured “when 
dry and stretched hard taut.” What is meant by 
“taut”? Some Measurers use a pull of 100 pounds on 
large sails. If two sides could be measured from the 
spars, the luff and the foot, it would only leave the 
after leeches of the topsails to be measured from the 
canvas. This would largely obviate errors due to 
weather conditions and to new or unstretched sails. 

Marginal Reference 29 

The quarter-beam length measurement is always a 
difficult measurement to take from an actual yacht. 
It frequently happens that the water is not sufficiently 
quiet to enable a Measurer to secure this length, hence 
delay and expense are incurred. 

As draft and displacement may be taken from the 
designer’s drawings, it seems as if the quarter-beam 
length also could be so taken. For races of inter¬ 
national importance and in all cases of doubt or pro¬ 
test, the quarter-beam length should be taken from the 
yacht’s hull, but it seems an unnecessary refinement 
to require it to be taken always from the hull of yachts 
under 46 feet rating. 


131 


CHAPTER VI 


Methods of Scoring Points 

It often is desirable to arrange for a series of races 
between yachts, and to determine the winner as the 
yacht obtaining the highest record according to some 
method of scoring points. This is especially desirable 
with races in one-design and restricted classes. 

One of the earliest of such methods was to award 
to each yacht one point for every yacht she defeated 
in a race of the series. The weakness of this simple 
method was that a yacht might win one race of the 
series against a large fleet, and thus receive a large 
score, which would make it extremely difficult, even if 
not impossible, for any other yacht to equal, if the 
other races had but few starters. 

In order to encourage the yachts to start in as many 
races of the series as possible, a premium of one addi¬ 
tional point was added for entry. As yachts would 
enter and then not finish, this premium was restricted 
to those yachts that actualy started and finished. 

None of the methods now in vogue truly records the 
relative merits of the several competing yachts, but 
they do give an order of merit. In other words, too 
much consideration should not be given to the rela¬ 
tive values of the figures or percentages of the scores. 
The figures or percentages should be used only to 
record the order; thus, a yacht winning twice as many 


132 


points as another, must not be considered as twice as 
speedy. 

The methods used most can be described as follows: 

I. The method of scoring, used by the New York 
Yacht Club in its series of races for the N. Y. Y. C., 
“Thirties’' in 1907 and 1908, was: 

“Each yacht will be credited with as many points as 
the number of yachts she defeats, with one point 
added for starting. One extra point will be awarded 
the winner of each race. 

“The number of defeated yachts will be figured on 
the largest number starting in any one race. 

“A yacht that starts and does not finish will not 
receive a point for starting, but will be counted as a 
defeated yacht in awarding points to the other yachts. 

“The awarding of points for the series will be based 
on the races named before the opening of the yachting 
season.” 

The difficulty, caused by great variations in the 
number of starters, was corrected by counting as de¬ 
feated yachts, in every race, the largest number that 
occurred in any race of the series. 

II. The extra point for winning was considered by 
many as being too large a premium, and hence is 
omitted in this second method of scoring, which other¬ 
wise is similar to Method I. 

This is the method used by the Larchmont Yacht 
Club in its series racing; by the American Yacht Club 
for its Sonder Class races in 1914; and by the New 
York Yacht Club in 1921 and 1922. 


133 


III. A third method of scoring is to allow points 
only to the first three yachts finishing in each race; 
thus, the winner is awarded five points, the second 
three points, and the third one point. If only three 
start, the winner receives three points, the second one 
point, and the third no point. If only two start, the 
winner receives one point. A premium point, as be¬ 
fore, is awarded to all for starting and finishing. 
This method obviously gives a large premium on good 
finishes. 

IV. Under the rules for the championship medal 
of the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island 
Sound, the following method of scoring is used: 

“A schedule of championship races for the series is 
published before the yachting season opens. 

“Each yacht competing in a championship race will 
be credited with as many points as the number of 
yachts she defeats, with one point added as a premium 
for starting. A yacht that starts and does not finish 
will receive no point for starting, but will be counted 
as a defeated yacht in the awarding of points to yachts 
that complete the race. 

“In order to qualify for the championship a yacht 
must start on at least one-half the race days on which 
races are given for her class. A sail-over will be 
counted as a start, but no point will be awarded 
therefor. 

“The championship record of a yacht will be the 
percentage which the total number of points to her 
credit at the end of the season bears to the total 
number of points, she would have had, if she had won 
every race in which she started. 

134 


“A race postponed or resailed must not be sailed 
on any race day named in the Association schedule. 

“ ‘Ties/ if any, will be sailed off at a time and 
place to be designated by the Executive Committee.” 1 

V. A very interesting method of scoring is used by 
the yacht clubs located east of Cape Cod. It is as 
follows: 

Each yacht will be credited with points according 
to the following schedule: 

Divide the figure 100 by the number of yachts start¬ 
ing in each race, and obtain the quotient. 

The winner will be credited with 100; the second 
with 100 less the quotient; the third with 100 less 
twice the quotient; the fourth with 100 less three times 
the quotient; and so on. The last yacht will be 
credited with the quotient. 

A yacht that starts and does not finish, or is dis¬ 
qualified, will not receive any points, but will be 
counted as a starter. 

At the conclusion of the series, each yacht’s points 
will be added and divided by her number of starts to 
obtain her average. The least divisor shall be two- 
thirds 2 the number of scheduled races. 

Each yacht’s standing is in the order of the average 
thus computed. 

As a concrete example and for the purpose of com¬ 
parison of these different systems of scoring, take the 
series for the championship of Massachusetts Bay, 
sailed in 1914. 3 Eight yachts, designated by the letters 

1 Of the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. 

2 Two-thirds is sometimes made three-quarters. 

3 For description, see Yachting, December, 1914. 

135 



A to H inclusive, completed a series of twenty-five 
races. There were twenty-six races on the schedule, 
but in one there were no starters. The yachts were 
all in the same restricted class, although of different de¬ 
signs. In the first race, only one started and finished. 

The numerical order in which the yachts finished 
each race is given in Table I. The results of the 
methods of scoring above described are given in 
Tables II. to VI., inclusive. A summary of the re¬ 
sults, in numerical order, is given in Table VII. 


136 


TABLE I 


Numerical Order of Finish 


1st Race 

A 

B 

C 

Yachts 

D E 

1 — 

F 

o I 

II 

2d 

a 

3 

4 

— 

1 

— 

2 

. _ 

_ 

3d 

a 

1 

2 

— 

3 

— 

4 

_ 

_ 

4th 

a 

9 

3 

— 

1 

5 

4 

- 

_ 

5 th 

a 

2 

1 

— 

3 

— 

4 

— 

_ 

6th 

tt 

4 

1 

— 

3 

— 

2 

— 

— 

7th 

a 

3 

1 

— 

— 

— 

2 

_ 

_ 

8th 

a 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

2 

_ 

— 

9th 

a 

— 

— 

— 

2 

— 

1 

— 

— 

10th 

u 

2 

1 

4 

3 

— 

5 

6 

— 

11th 

a 

4 

3 

2 

1 

5 

7 

6 

— 

12th 

tt 

3 

4 

1 

5 

7 

2 

6 

— 

13th 

a 

3 

—■ 

1 

— 

5 

2 

4 

— 

14th 

a 

Dis. 

4 

1 

3 

6 

2 

5 

7 

15th 

a 

2 

1 

7 

3 

— 

5 

6 

4 

16t'h 

it 

5 

7 

1 

3 

— 

4 

6 

2 

17 th 

a 

1 

Dis. 

— 

4 

— 

2 

3 

— 

18th 

a 

2 

3 

— 

1 

— 

4 

5 

— 

19th 

a 

3 

1 

— 

2 

— 

4 

— 

— 

20th 

tt 

4 

3 

— 

2 

— 

1 

— 

— 

21st 

a 

Dis. 

1 

— 

3 

— 

2 

— 

— 

22d 

it 

2 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

23d 

a 

3 

4 

— 

1 

— 

2 

— 

— 

24th 

tt 

1 

2 

— 

4 

— 

3 

— 

— 

25 th 

a 

2 

— 

— 

1 

D. 

N. F. 

— 

— 

26th 

n 










137 



TABLE II 


Points by Method I 


A 


B 


C 


Yachts 
D E 


II 


1st 

Race 

— 

— 

— 

9 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2d 

a 

6 

5 

— 

9 

— 

7 

— 

— 

3d 

u 

9 

7 

— 

6 

— 

5 

— 

— 

4th 

a 

7 

6 

— 

9 

4 

5 

— 

— 

5th 

a 

7 

9 

— 

6 

— 

5 

— 

— 

6th 

u 

5 

9 

— 

6 

— 

7 

— 

— 

7th 

a 

6 

9 

— 

— 

— 

7 

— 

— 

8th 

u 

— 

9 

— 

— 

— 

7 

— 

— 

9th 

<< 

— 

— 

— 

7 

— 

9 

— 

— 

10th 

u 

7 

9 

5 

6 

— 

4 

3 

— 

11th 

u 

5 

6 

7 

9 

4 

2 

3 

— 

12th 

u 

6 

5 

9 

4 

2 

7 

3 

— 

1.3 th 

a 

6 

— 

9 

— 

4 

7 

5 

— 

14th 

<( 

0 

5 

9 

6 

3 

7 

4 

2 

15 th 

u 

7 

9 

2 

6 

— 

4 

3 

5 

16 th 

u 

4 

2 

9 

6 

— 

5 

3 

7 

17th 

a 

9 

0 

— 

5 

— 

7 

6 

— 

18th 

a 

7 

6 

— 

9 

— 

5 

4 

— 

19th 

a 

6 

9 

— 

7 

— 

5 

— 

— 

20th 

a 

5 

6 

— 

7 

— 

9 

— 

— 

21st 

a 

0 

9 

— 

6 

— 

7 

— 

— 

22 d 

u 

7 

— 

— 

— 

— 

9 

— 

— 

23d 

u 

6 

5 

— 

9 

— 

7 

— 

— 

24th 

ii 

9 

7 

— 

5 

— 

6 

— 

— 

25th 

n 

7 

— 

— 

9 

— 

0 

— 

— 

26th 

a 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Totals 

131 

137 

50 

146 

17 

143 

34 

14 


138 



TABLE III 


Points by Method II 


Yachts 

AB C D E F GH 


1st 

Race 

— 

— 

— 

8 

— 

-. 

__ 


2d 

if 

6 

5 

— 

8 

— 

7 

._ 


3d 

a 

8 

7 

— 

6 

— 

5 

__ _ 


4th 

a 

7 

6 

— 

8 

4 

5 

-. 


5th 

a 

7 

8 

— 

6 

— 

5 

_ 


6th 

a 

5 

8 

— 

6 

— 

7 

__ 

__ 

7th 

a 

6 

8 

— 

— 

— 

7 

__ 


8th 

if 

— 

8 

— 

— 

— 

7 

__ 


9th 

ft 

— 

— 

— 

7 

— 

8 

-- 

_ 

10th 

a 

7 

8 

5 

6 

— 

4 

3 

_ 

11th 

<< 

5 

6 

7 

8 

4 

2 

3 

— 

12th 

a 

6 

5 

8 

4 

2 

7 

3 

_ 

13th 

a 

6 

— 

8 

— 

4 

7 

5 

_ 

14th 

a 

0 

5 

8 

6 

3 

7 

4 

2 

15th 

u 

7 

8 

2 

6 

— 

4 

3 

5 

16 th 

a 

4 

2 

8 

6 

— 

5 

3 

7 

17th 

a 

8 

0 

— 

5 

— 

7 

6 

— 

18th 

a 

7 

6 

— 

8 

— 

5 

4 

— 

19th 

a 

6 

8 

—- 

7 

— 

5 

— 

— 

20th 

a 

5 

6 

— 

7 

— 

8 

— 

— 

21st 

a 

0 

8 

— 

6 

— 

7 

— 

— 

22 d 

a 

7 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8 

— 

— 

23d 

a 

6 

5 

— 

8 

— 

7 

— 

— 

24th 

a 

8 

7 

— 

5 

— 

6 

— 

— 

25th 

a 

7 

— 

— 

8 

— 

0 

— 

— 

26th 

a 









Totals 

128 

124 

46 

139 

17 

140 

34 

14 


139 




TABLE IV 


Points by Method III 


Yachts 




A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

1st Race 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2d 

66 

2 

1 

— 

6 

— 

4 

— 

— 

3d 

a 

6 

4 

— 

2 

— 

1 

— 

— 

4th 

a 

4 

2 

— 

6 

1 

1 

— 

— 

5th 

u 

4 

6 

— 

2 

— 

1 

— 

— 

6th 

a 

1 

6 

— 

2 

— 

4 

— 

— 

7th 

66 

1 

4 

— 

— 

— 

2 

— 

— 

8th 


— 

2 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

9th 

66 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

2 

— 

— 

10th 

66 

4 

6 

1 

2 

— 

1 

1 

— 

11th 

66 

1 

2 

4 

6 

1 

1 

1 

— 

12th 

66 

2 

1 

6 

1 

1 

4 

1 

— 

13 th 

66 

2 

— 

6 

— 

1 

4 

1 

— 

14th 

66 

0 

1 

6 

2 

1 

4 

1 

1 

15th 

66 

4 

6 

1 

2 

— 

1 

1 

1 

16th 

66 

1 

1 

6 

2 

— 

1 

1 

4 

17 th 

66 

6 

0 

— 

1 

— 

4 

2 

— 

18th 

66 

4 

2 

— 

6 

—• 

1 

1 

— 

19th 

66 

2 

6 

— 

4 

— 

1 

— 

— 

20th 

66 

1 

2 

— 

4 

— 

6 

— 

— 

21st 

66 

0 

6 

— 

2 

— 

4 

— 

— 

22d 

66 

1 

— 

— 

—• 

— 

2 

— 

— 

23 d 

66 

2 

1 

— 

6 

— 

4 

— 

— 

24th 

66 

6 

4 

— 

1 

— 

2 

— 

— 

25th 

66 

2 

— 

— 

4 

— 

0 

— 

— 

26th 

66 









Totals 

56 

63 

30 

63 

5 

56 

10 

6 


140 


i 






TABLE V 


Points by Method IV 


Yachts 




A 

B 

€ 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

1st Race 

— 

— 

— 

0 

■ ■ . 

— 

- 

- 

2d 

tt 

2 

1 

— 

4 

... . 

3 

- 


3d 

tt 

4 

3 

— 

2 

— 

1 

_ 

- 

4th 

tt 

4 

3 

— 

5 

1 

2 

_ 

■ 

5th 

it 

3 

4 

— 

2 

— 

1 

- 

_ 

6th 

tt 

1 

4 

— 

2 

— 

3 

i 

. 

7th 

a 

1 

3 

— 

— 

_ 

2 

___ 

. 

8th 

tt 

— 

2 

— 

— 

... 

1 

- 

___ 

9th 

tt 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

2 

_ 

_ 

10th 

tt 

5 

6 

3 

4 

— 

2 

1 

_ 

11th 

tt 

4 

5 

6 

7 

3 

1 

2 

— 

12th 

it 

5 

4 

7 

3 

1 

6 

2 


13th 

tt 

3 

— 

5 

— 

1 

4 

2 

— 

14th 

it 

0 

5 

8 

6 

3 

7 

4 

2 

15th 

tt 

6 

7 

1 

5 

— 

3 

2 

4 

16th 

tt 

3 

1 

7 

5 

— 

4 

2 

6 

17th 

tt 

5 

0 

— 

2 

— 

4 

3 

— 

18 th 

tt 

4 

3 

— 

5 

— 

2 

1 

—... 

19th 

tt 

2 

4 

— 

3 

— 

1 

_ 


20th 

a 

1 

2 

— 

3 

— 

4 

_ 

_ 

21st 

tt 

0 

4 

— 

2 

— 

3 

— 

— 

22d 

ft 

1 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2 

— 

— 

23d 

tt 

2 

1 

— 

4 

— 

3 

— 

— 

24th 

tt 

4 

3 

— 

1 

— 

2 

— 

— 

25th 

tt 

2 

— 

— 

3 

— 

0 

— 

— 

26th 

a 

— 

— 

— 

— 

■— 

— 

■— 

— 

Totals 

62 

65 

— 

69 

— 

63 

— 

— 

Max. 

Points 

106 

98 


98 


110 



Percentage 









Rating 

58.5 

66.3 


70.4 


57.2 




141 



TABLE VI 


Points by Method V 


YACHTS 




A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G. 

H 

1st Race 




1,000 





2d 

66 

500 

250 


1,000 


750 



3d 

u 

1,000 

750 


500 


250 



4th 

a 

800 

600 

— 

1,000 

200 

400 


— 

5th 

a 

750 

1,000 


500 


250 



6th 

n 

250 

1,000 


500 


750 



7th 

<< 

333 

1,000 




666 



8th 

a 


1,000 




500 



9th 

a 




500 


1,000 


—— 

10th 

u 

833 

1,000 

500 

667 


333 

167 


11th 

a 

571 

714 

857 

1,000 

429 

143 

286 

— 

12th 

66 

714 

571 

1,000 

429 

143 

857 

286 


13th 

66 

600 


1,000 


200 

800 

400 

— 

14th 

66 

Dis. 

625 

1,000 

750 

375 

875 

500 

250 

15th 

66 

857 

1,000 

143 

714 


429 

286 

571 

16th 

66 

429 

143 

1,000 

714 


571 

286 

857 

17th 

66 

1,000 

Dis. 


400 


800 

600 


18th 

66 

800 

600 


1,000 


400 

200 


19th 

66 

500 

1,000 


750 


250 



20th 

66 

250 

500 


750 


1,000 



21st 

6 

Dis. 

1,000 


500 


750 



22d 

66 

500 





1,000 


._— 

23d 

66 

500 

250 


1,000 


750 



24th 

66 

1,000 

750 


250 


500 



25 th 

66 

666 



1,000 


1,000 



26th 

66 






— — 

— 

— 

Totals 

12,853 

13,753 

5,500 

14,924 

1,347 

14,024 

3,011 

1,678 

Average 584.23 

687.65 343.75 710.66 

84.19 584.33 

188.18 104.88 


142 




























































































TABLE VII 


Summary of Results 


Method of 

Scoring ABC 
No. I 4 3 5 

“II 3 4 5 

“ III 3* 1* 5 

“IV 3 2 — 

“V 4 2 5 


YACHTS 

D E 

1 7 

2 7 

1 * 8 

1 — 

1 8 


F G H 
2 6 8 

1 6 8 

3* 6 7 

4 — — 

3 6 7 


It will be noticed that the results obtained by 
Methods III., IV., and V. are very nearly the same. 
In Method IV., the condition that a yacht must start 
in fifty per cent, of the schedule races prevented four 
of the yachts from receiving any score, and in Method 
III. there was a tie for first place. 

By Method I., the same yacht was the winner as 
in III., IV., and V., but the order of merit among the 
other yachts was not the same. Method II. produced 
an order that differed radically from all the others. 

The winner of a point-scoring contest is not neces¬ 
sarily the fastest yacht, as the systems of scoring have 
been, more or less, evolved to encourage the several 
competitors to enter in the greatest number of races 
in the series. 

All the systems are based on a scheme to score for 
either skill, speed or endurance. The various methods 
do not give equal values to these qualifications. There¬ 
fore, in making a selection from one of these methods, 
some consideration should be given to this point. In 

* Yachts B and D tied, and also A and F. 


143 



all probability, both speed and skill are more truly 
represented by Methods III., IV., and V. 

When drawing up instructions for a series race, the 
conditions always should state, (1) how a tie will be 
settled; (2) whether a sail-over will be allowed, and if 
so, how it will be scored, and (3) what shall be the 
minimum number of races in the series in which a 
yacht must start to qualify for a final score. In prac¬ 
tice, this minimum is usually between fifty and 
seventy per cent. When the contest is for a more con¬ 
clusive test of skill, it would be well to state another con¬ 
dition, (4) the minimum number of starters in a race in 
order that such race may count as one of the series. 
If this condition (4) is added, care must be taken to 
see that its wording does not conflict with condition (3). 


144 


CHAPTER VII 


Protests and Decisions 

To illustrate the practical application of the racing 
rules, a few words on protests and some examples 
would not be out of place. 

When a protest is made and the written statement 
duly filed, the Committee should send a copy to the 
protested yacht and name a place and date for a hear¬ 
ing. There should be little delay in holding the hear¬ 
ing, so that the facts can be presented while fresh in 
memory. Occasionally, it will be found diplomatic 
for a Committee to postpone the hearing for some 
time after the occurrence, should there be a suspicion 
of ill feeling between the parties. Fouls often en¬ 
gender ill feeling, and a lapse of time of two or three 
weeks may allow irritation to calm down, and pave 
the way for a more amicable understanding. 

The Committee should arrange the hearing for a 
place and date as convenient as possible to all con¬ 
cerned. This is only common courtesy and can gener¬ 
ally be done. When convened, the Committee should 
conduct the proceedings in an orderly manner, and 
allow the parties to testify one at a time. 

The protest should be first read by the Chairman. 
(In all cases, a copy of the protest should be sent to 
the protested yacht as soon as received.) Then, the 
owner of the protesting yacht and any others whom 


145 


/ 


he cares to ask, should be allowed to testify but each 
in turn. After this, the protested yacht owner and any 
others whom he desires to have heard, should be asked 
to reply, in rebuttal. The Committee should require 
the parties to submit sketch diagrams, and may ask 
questions of any witness in order to ascertain the 
facts. 

The hearings should be open to both parties, who 
should be allowed to bear and reply to any relevant 
testimony offered. All irrelevant testimony should 
be excluded, and the testimony kept to the point or 
points at issue. Any witness, desiring to be heard, 
should have a hearing, provided he so indicates before 
the proceedings are closed. 

There can be no objection to testimony given by 
professionals. The Committee should be careful to 
allow all proper testimony to be heard, or be exposed to 
the charge that the hearings were not full, and on that 
account have their decision questioned. 

When all testimony written or oral, has been pre¬ 
sented, the Committee should go into executive ses¬ 
sion, and discuss and determine its decision in private. 
The decision should be in writing and copies sent to 
each party. 

The decision should state the grounds on which 
it is based, and great care should be taken to see 
that it is based on the facts. There are good reasons 
for this, because one of the yachts may desire to ap¬ 
peal and could not well do so unless the grounds for 
the decision were stated, and also because these de¬ 
cisions have considerable instructive value to all in¬ 
terested in yacht racing. Decisions should never be 

146 


« 


given offhand, or without due deliberation. If a 
frivolous protest is received, a Committee should treat 
it seriously, as by so doing, and by publicity, foolish 
claims are best prevented. 

It sometimes happens that a yacht protests under 
one rule, while the evidence shows that some other 
rule was really infringed. A Committee should take 
cognizance of this fact, and base its decision on the 
testimony, since in Rule XIX., Clause 2, it is clearly 
stated, that a yacht shall be disqualified if she neglects 
any of the rules. Failure to properly word a written 
protest should not be allowed to prejudice the case 
of a protesting yacht, and ignorance of the rules should 
not be accepted as an excuse. 

The following form for a letter of protest could be 
used with advantage. 


Letter of Protest 


Date 


To the Race Committee, 

—- Yacht Club. 

Dear Sirs: 

Schooner (Yawl or Sloop) “A” wishes to protest 

Schooner (Yawl or Sloop) “B” in race of -, 192—, 

sailed under the auspices of the—-Yacht Club. 


The facts in the case are 


147 










The positions of the yachts, direction of wind and of 
tide are shown on the enclosed diagram. 

“A,” therefore, protests “B” under Racing Rule- 

Very truly yours, 

Richard Roe, 
Owner of “AT 

A few protests, with the testimony and the Com¬ 
mittee's decisions have been selected to illustrate the 
application of several of the rules. The sequence of 
the protests has been arranged to correspond to the 
order of the rules under which the claims were made, 
rather than according to dates. 


148 



CASE I 


PROTEST UNDER RULE V., SECTION 7 
New York Yacht Club 


“15th June, 1906. 

“The Regatta Committee, 

“New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sirs: 

“I beg to protest schooner Invader, New York 
Yacht Club, for non-observance of Racing Rule VI., 
Paragraph 7} She was carrying the Larchmont Yacht 
Club flag at the fore truck, private signal at main 
truck, and Yacht Club ensign at the peak, and was 
without a number, leading us to believe she was not in 
the race. Upon a request from Vigilant to give room, 
we were 'informed that she was in our race. Had we 
known of her being a contestant we could have saved 
considerable of our time. 

“Yours truly, 

“Owner, yacht Vigilant.” 


When Vigilant was informed that Invader did not 
finish the race and also that it had made a late entry at 
the starting line, Vigilant withdrew the protest. 

As the complaint of Vigilant was well founded, the 
Committee sent the following letter to Invader. 


1 The rule referred to in the letter is now Rule V., Section 7. 

149 



“27th June, 1906. 


“Owner, Yacht Invader. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Referring to our notice to you of June 23d, 
notifying you that Invader was protested by Vigilant 
in the Race for the Spring Cups June 14th, we now 
take leave to inform you that the protest has been 
withdrawn by Captain of Vigilant. 

“The cause of the protest was violation of Racing 
Rule VI., Paragraph 7. 1 

“As Invader made a post entry, which was accepted 
by the other schooners in the class with the approval 
of the Regatta Committee, the question as to number 
on the mainsail was waived. 

“The Invader, however, carried another club’s 
pennant at the fore, her private signal at the main, 
and her yacht ensign at the gaff. Vigilant not being 
aware of the acceptance of your post entry deemed 
that Invader was not in the race on account of noticing 
the flags being set, especially another club’s pennant 
. in a New York Yacht Club event. 

“ Vigilant, presuming that Invader would get out 
of her course, took no steps to better her position 
and claimed loss of several minutes on this account. 

“As the owner of Yacht Vigilant has withdrawn 
his protest, nothing further will be done in the matter, 
but we request you to notify your sailing master, that 
in all future events to comply with the Racing Rules 
as far as possible. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee.” 

1 The rule referred to in the letter is now Rule V., Section 7. 


150 



CASE II 


PROTEST UNDER RULE VI 
New York Yacht Club 


(Not dated) 

“The Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“I request that your Committee decide the question 
as to whether the Effort is sailing in cruising trim. I 
prefer not to enter a formal protest, but if your Com¬ 
mittee cannot entertain the matter otherwise please 
consider this letter as a protest that in my judgment 
the Effort is not conforming to the spirit and intention 
of Rule VII. of the Racing Rules of the Club. 1 

“Yours very truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Irolita 


The Committee assembled on board Effort after 
receiving this letter of protest, and carefully examined 
the deck and cabin fittings, as well as the anchors, cables, 
and lifeboat. 

The Effort was designed and' built for a racing yacht 
rather than a cruising yacht. The Committee found that 
there were accommodations for all the paid! hands and 
that the crew lived on board; that the fittings, anchors, 

1 The rule referred to in the letter is now Rule VI. 


151 



etc., were as light as could be made consistent with safety, 
and that the spirit of the rule was complied with. 

The Committee replied to the protest as follows: 

“10th August, 1906. 

“Owner, Yacht Irolita. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Replying to your protest, undated but received 
by the Committee on 6th August, claiming that 
Effort is not in cruising trim under Racing Rule VII., 1 
we beg leave to state that we have been on board 
Effort and that we find Effort to be in cruising trim. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee/' 

1 The rule referred to in the letter is now Rule VI. 


152 



CASE III 


PROTEST UNDER RULE VIII 
American Yacht Club 


During the seasons of 1912 and 1913, the American 
Yacht Club gave a series of races for a one-design class. 
Printed instructions regarding the course were issued. 
In 1913, the instructions were altered to designate one 
mark differently from the original. Unfortunately, one 
of the old instructions, by some oversight, was issued 
to yacht Cynosure. 

At the time of starting, the Committee verbally 
called attention to the change. Cynosure 1 apparently 
did not understand and sailed the course specified in 
her instructions, and was ahead when she steered for the 
wrong mark. The race was sailed by Argus with 
corrected instructions and Argus finished first. 

Cynosure protested. The Committee decided as 
follows, after due hearing of testimony: 

“Referring to the protest of Cynosure, on July 12, 
1913, wherein Cynosure claimed first prize because 
false instructions were received from the Committee, 
whereby a longer course was sailed than necessary, 
the Regatta Committee have determined as follows: 


153 


“The yacht which came in first, having sailed the 
correct course, as instructed by the Committe, could 
not be disqualified. 

“The race could not be ordered resailed, because 'it 
was fairly sailed according to instructions. 

“The Committee regrets that Cynosure d ; id not take 
more active steps in proving the correctness of the 
verbal instructions, when it was found that these 
verbal instructions did not agree with the printed 
instructions issued. 

“As the false instructions, were given out by 
the Committee, the Committee must assume the 
responsibility. 

“The Committee, therefore has decided to award 
Cynosure a first prize, as being the first yacht win¬ 
ning over the course sailed according to instructions 
given to it. 

“Regatta Committee/' 

Note: Argus was also awarded a first prize. 


i 


154 


i 


CASE IV 


PROTEST UNDER RULE VIII 
New York Yacht Club 


“15th September, 1910. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sirs: 

“In the Fall Regatta of your club held to-day we 
protest Cara Mia, our other P class competitor, on 
the ground tilat she sailed inside the black buoy off 
Weeks’ Point, Hempstead Harbor. By this move she 
shortened her course and by reason of this latter fact 
solely she was able to finish ahead of us. Kindly in¬ 
form us if her course was the proper one. We under¬ 
stand the rule to be that boats racing should leave 
channel buoys on the proper hand, i. e., keep in the 
channel. 

“Very truly yours, 

“Owner, Yacht Windward 


This protest arose because Cara Mia sailed between 
a Government buoy and the beach, and did not keep on 
the channel side. The sailing instructions did not refer 
to any buoys, except to those used as marks of the course. 
This particular buoy was not a specified mark of the 
course. 


155 



After full correspondence, the Committee decided as 
below. 


“29th September, 1910. 

“Owner, Yacht Windward. 

“Dear Captain : 

“Referring- to the protest of Windward against 
Cara Mia, dated 15th September, 1910, the Regatta 
Committee, at a meeting held yesterday, decided that 
the protest be not sustained, as no mention was made 
of any buoys, except the turning marks, in the sailing 
instructions and description of the course; and that 
yachts had the right to leave the buoy off Weeks’ 
Point and other Government buoys, with the exception 
of the specified turning marks, on either hand. 

“The d : elay in answering your letter was caused by 
the absence from the city of one of the members of the 
Committee. 

“Very truly yours, 

“Regatta Committee/’ 


156 


CASE V 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XII., SECTION 2, 

CLAUSE (A) 

New York Yacht Club 


“22d June, 1911. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sirs: 

“I regret to have to protest the Miladi in to-day’s 
race. When we were both on the wind, we on the 
starboard and they on the port tack, they forced us 
about in order to avoid a collision. 

“Yours truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Dervish ” 

After the letter of protest had been sent to Miladi, 
the owner testified at the hearing as follows: 

“At the time when the incident occurred which 
prompted Dervish to protest Miladi, the yachts were 
approaching close-hauled! with the wind on opposite 
sides, in the proximity of Mark ‘A.’ Miladi was on the 
port tack sailing westerly with the Dervish approaching 
on the starboard tack. 

“The Captain of Miladi asked his sailing master 
if Miladi could clear Dervish and the sailing master 
replied that he felt convinced that Miladi could go clear. 


157 


“Dervish then luffed. Miladi went about and the end 
of Miladis main boom was forward of Dervish's fore¬ 
rigging—perhaps opposite the stem—and' the yachts 
were distant from one another about 40 or 50 feet. At 
this instant, Miladi was in eye of the wind, with Dervish a 
little off the wind. 

“When Dervish began to luff, Dervish was about 80 
feet away from Miladi. While he thought, and was of 
the opinion, that Miladi would have cleared Dervish had 
Dervish not luffed, he willingly admitted that the 
clearance would have been close and that he was per¬ 
fectly willing to accept the decision of the Regatta Com¬ 
mittee should the decision be adverse to his yacht Miladi. 

“Two gentlemen who were on board Miladi during 
the race substantiated in every essential particular the 
testimony of the Captain of Miladi.” 

Dervish not being represented at the hearing, the above 
statement was forwarded to her owner and he replied 
as below. 

i 

“July 3, 1911. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Your favor of June 30th received and in reply to 
same would say that I think Captain of Miladi is 
mistaken in regard to the relative position of the yachts 
at the time I made my protest. I am quite sure that 
Miladi could not have possibly cleared me if I had 
continued on my course. My impression is that my 
bowsprit was not more than thirty feet from him and 
I think I would have struck him about the mainmast. 

“This is the first protest that I have ever made, 
although I have had several provocations to do so, 
and I assure you that I would not protest any one, 


158 


much less Captain of Miladi who is a good friend of 
mine, unless I was actually sure I was in the right. 

“Yours very truly, 

Owner, Yacht Dervish.” 


The Committee decided that the right of the starboard 
tack must be preserved and sent the following decision. 

“13th July, 1911. 

“Owner, Yacht Dervish. 

“Owner, Yacht Miladi. 

“Gentlemen : 

“Referring to the protest of Dervish against Miladi 
dated 22d June, 1911, alleging that in the race for the 
Spring Cups the Dervish, while on the starboard tack, 
was compelled to go about in order to avoid 1 ! a collision 
with Miladi at that time on the port tack. 

“The Committee has given careful consideration to 
the testimony presented. 

“The fundamental basis of the right-of-way is that 
when two yachts are approaching with the wind on 
opposite sides the yacht with the wind on the port side 
shall keep clear. From the testimony submitted, it 
appears that Miladi could not have cleared Dervish 
without a risk of foul, and Rule XII., Section 2, specifi¬ 
cally states that when a risk of fouling is involved the 
yacht with the wind on the port side shall keep clear. 

“The protest is sustained, as the Committee finds 
that the risk of fouling was sufficiently imminent to 
have justified Dervish in coming about. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee/' 


159 


Tarrartine Club 
Dark Harbor, Maine 


July 31st, 1922. 

Decision in matter of protest by Mr. Met. sailing 
No 1, against No. 14 sailed by Mr. Mos. in race for 
1 7]/ 2 footers, sailed July 28th, 1922. 

The following facts are agreed to by all witnesses: 

1. The start was a windward start. 

2. The wind was about S.S.W. 

3. The Committee boat was at the Eastern end of 
the starting line. 

4. Twenty or more boats were starting on the 
same gun. 

5. Just before the gun the whole fleet with two or 
possibly three exceptions were approaching the line 
on the starboard tack. 

6. No. 1, the protesting yacht, had crossed the line 
on the starboard tack and was still holding that tack. 

7. No. 14 crossed the line on the port tack close to 
the Committee Boat and had immediately tacked to 
starboard to avoid collision with No. 1. 

8. Collision did occur, No. l’s bow striking No. 
14’s starboard quarter. 

9. No. 1 did not bear away out of her course (three 
witnesses say she luffed slightly). 

The only fact in dispute is whether No. 14 had filled 
away on the starboard tack before collision took place. 
Mr. Mos., sailing No. 14 being of the opinion that she 
had, Mr Met. sailing No. 1 and Messrs. A. and W. on 
neighboring yachts, being of the opinion she had not. 

The Committee in passing judgment state that 
where a foul occurs between yachts “sailing close 
hawled and having the wind on opposite sides at or 
just prior to the foul, the burden of proof is on the 


160 


yacht having - the wind on her port side.” In the case 
before the Committee, the burden of proof was with 
No. 14 to show that she was not at fault and here the 
weight of evidence is against her, in particular that 
given by Messrs. W. and A. that she had not filled 
away. An additional piece of evidence is the fact that 
the point on No. 14’s starboard quarter indicated by 
Mr. Mos. as the point of contact could not have been 
struck by No. 1 had No. 14 been sailing the same 
course as No. 1. 

Number 14 is therefore disqualified under Rule 
XII., Sec. 2 (a) and Sec. 7 (a) and Sec. 7 (b). 

The Committee take occasion to call attention to 
Rule XII., Sec. 9, and call particular attention to the 
fact that a designated mark of the course is not “an 
obstruction to sea room” and that a yacht placing 
herself on the port tack between a mark of the course 
and a fleet of her competitors on the starboard tack, 
unless she can cross all of them, is certain to be in 
the wrong and subject to disqualification. 

Race Committee. 


161 


CASE VI 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XII., SECTION 8 
American Yacht Club 


“3d July, 1914. 

“Regatta Committee, 

American Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“I hereby protest Okee, for violation of Rule XII., 
Section 8, of Long Island Sound Yacht Racing 
Association, in rounding Buoy B 24 y 2 at Woolsey’s 
Reef as shown on accompanying diagram. Carlita 
witnessed the same and will bear out these statements. 

“Yours truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Oriole 

“Enclosure Sketch (Figure XVI.). Oriole ap¬ 
proached weather mark on starboard) tack; Okee bore 
away under Oriole's stern; Oriole came about on port 
tack, and had altered helm for the purpose of round¬ 
ing mark when Okee shot into the wind and called for 
room to Oriole. Oriole was forced to luff in order to 
avoid collision.” 

The Committee notified Okee, and received the follow¬ 
ing reply: 


162 


“July 27, 1914. 


“Regatta Committee, 

American Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“Just had a minute here so am enclosing sketch of 
Okee and Oriole rounding windward mark of course. 
Oriole came toward mark from the middle of Sound on 
her starboard tack and we came out from shore on 
port tack making the mark easily, in fact, we over¬ 
stood it a little. We would have hit Oriole with our 
bow almost at her bowsprit had we kept on, but as 
we could make mark easily, we went astern of Oriole 
and' kept on (a distance of two or three boat lengths) 
with sails full and not luffed as Oriole claims and 
rounded the mark. Oriole, when we passed under 
her stern, did not come about, but kept on for about 
two or more boat lengths and then bore down on the 
mark with sheets eased but not ahead of us (in fact, 
just abreast of us). 

“We, of course had an overlap and being inside 
boat, Oriole had to give us room to round the mark. 
To show we were ahead of Oriole, we rounded the 
mark and Oriole being to windward could not blanket 
us at all. We kept ahead of Oriole. 

“Whenever you wish the hearing, if you deem a 
hearing necessary, I will be only too glad to meet you. 

“Yours very truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Okee” 


The Committee then appointed a date and place for a 
hearing, and all parties interested were present. At this 
hearing the testimony showed the yachts to have been 
relatively as in Figure XVI., which has been drawn from 
the two sketches submitted. 


163 


“24th August, 1914. 


“Owner, Yacht Oriole. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Replying to your letter of 3rd July, 1914, in which 
Oriole protests Okee in race of same day, the Regatta 
Committee begs leave to reply as follows: 

“After correspondence with both yachts, each filed 
a diagram, the main features of which were similar. 
A hearing of the case was held on 12th August at 
which testimony was taken for both yachts. 

“The facts developed' were, that both yachts ap¬ 
proached the windward mark, Buoy B 24^4 off Wool- 
sey’s Reef: that Oriole was on the starboard and Okee 
on the port tack; that Okee paid off and passed close 
under Oriole's stern; that Oriole came about on port 
tack; that Okee luffed to reach the mark; and that 
the yachts were overlapping. 



\ 


✓ 


\ 


/ 


Figure XU 


“The differences claimed were (1) that Okee luffed 
into the wind so that her sails were flapping, and (2) 
that Okee only luffed back on her course. 


164 


“The protest was founded on Rule XII., Section 8, 
second paragraph which reads: ‘A yacht shall not, how¬ 
ever, be justified in attempting to establish an overlap 
and thus force a passage between another yacht and 1 
the mark after the latter yacht has altered her helm for 
the purpose of rounding.’ 

“The claim that Okee attempted to establish an 
overlap and force a passage between Oriole and the 
mark is noMvell founded. It appears that Okee luffed 
as she came out under Oriole's stern and that Oriole 
stood on for two or three lengths before coming about 
on the port tack. A yacht, forced by the starboard 
tack to pay off, has the right to luff back on her course 
when clear, and that in doing this she did not mislead 
or baulk Oriole, because it must have been expected. 
Both yachts admitted that Okee could have reached the 
mark without tacking, if Oriole had not been there. 

“A yacht luffing is still on the same tack and no 
claim can be entertained that Okee attempted to alter 
her port tack. 

“It is the opinion of the Committee that Oriole, 
from a position on weather quarter of Okee, established 
an overlap. Therefore, the first paragraph of Rule 
XII., Section 8, applies, namely, that Oriole should 
give the inside yacht, Okee, room to pass clear of the 
mark. 

“The protest is not sustained. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee/’ 


165 


CASE VII 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XII., SECTION 9 
New York Yacht Club 


“14th August, 1912. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sirs: 

“I wish to protest the yacht Elena for violation of 
the Racing Rules during the race from Vineyard 
Haven to Newport on August 13, 1912. 

“The Elena, which was standing alone on the port 
tack to the northward of the Middle Ground in Vine¬ 
yard Sound, forced the Princess, which 1 was close 
hauled on the starboard tack, to come about in order 
to prevent a collision. The Elena called for sea room 
and ordered the Princess to tack. This was not 
necessary, as the Elena could have avoided the obstruc¬ 
tion to sea room and all risk of fouling by altering her 
course and keeping off under the stern of the Princess. 

“The Elena thus violated Section 2, Rule XII. and 
without due cause compelled the Princess to tack 
'under Section 9, Rule XII., and is therefore subject 
to disqualification under Section 2, Rule XIX. 

“Yours very truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Princess.” 

This letter of protest was forwarded to Elena, and 
the following answer was received: 

166 


“31st August, 1912. 


“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“Replying to protest made by Princess August 14, 
1912, claiming that Elena in the race from Vineyard 
Haven to Newport, August 13, 1912, violated Section 
2, Rule XIl. and without due cause compelled Princess 
to tack under Section 9, Rule XII. 

“I wish to say that Elena was justified <in requesting 
Princess to tack under Section 9, Rule XII. 

“In explanation would say that we were making 
very short tacks, working the Middle Ground as close 
as possible to keep out of the easterly running current. 

“At the time we hailed Princess, we had just come 
about on the port tack which we were obliged to do 
to avoid going ashore on the Middle Ground. Just 
as we got trimmed 1 down we saw we could not clear 
Princess., in fact had she kept on she would have 
struck us a little forward of the beam. We were too 
close to the Middle Ground to immediately tack again, 
drawing twenty-one feet of water, and as we did not 
have room to swing under her stern without fouling 
her, we were justified in requesting Princess to tack. 
This request was immediately complied with, and 
after we had stood on two or three minutes we imme¬ 
diately tacked to permit Princess to stand in and keep 
out of the current, should she so elect. 

“I beg to submit a sketch showing position of yachts. 
“Respectfully submitted, 

“Owner, Yacht Elena.” 

At the hearing, the following facts were conceded 
(see Figure XVII.) : 

1. The wind was substantially W. S. W. 

2. The current was running to the eastward. 

3. The location of the alleged 1 foul was east of can 
buoy 25j^. 


167 


4. The yachts were traveling about 6 to 6 l / 2 knots. 

5. The positions of the other yachts in the squadron 
had no influence on the alleged foul. 



/ 


/ 

* 


£> £L£* A 
f*>P*INC£S3 



Figure TV7T 

Each party testified in brief as follows: 

Princess described the positions of the yachts as they 
approached one another, and stated that they were 
distant from Middle Ground shoal, when Princess was 
forced to tack, by about 1000 to 1500 feet. 


168 




Elena generally agreed 1 to the described position of the 
yachts. 

Princess stated that when Elena tacked to port before 
the alleged foul, the yachts were at least three boat 
lengths apart. 

Elena stated the yachts were not over three lengths 
apart and were too close for her to safely maneuver 
under the stern of Princess. Elena was compelled to ask 

for water. 

Princess stated that when Elena first tacked, she 
headed so as to strike Princess. Elena then pointed 
higher, so that Princess would have struck Elena. Elena 
agreed with this statement, but insisted that the whole 
question resolved to '‘one of room.” 

Captain of Irolita, at request of Captain of Princess, 
stated that Irolita was astern of Elena by some 200 yards; 
that Elena sailed on port tack for about 200 yards before 
the alleged foul took place; that Elena could have passed 
under the stern of Princess or could have tacked to star¬ 
board and stood 1 in toward Middle Ground. 

Elena did not agree with Captain of Irolita, and 
further stated that Elena continued on port tack for 
about 2^2 nuinutes so as to work off the shoal before 
going about on starboard tack, so as to give Princess 
room. Elena stood in toward the shoal on starboard 
tack for about 2 or 2 x / 2 minutes (about mile). 

A guest on Princess, at request of Captain of Princess, 
stated that the distances between the yachts were greater 
than as testified; that Elena could have passed under 
stern of Princess, and that Princess asked Elena to do so. 

The club members on Elena stated that they did not 
hear such a hail. 


169 


As there was no other evidence offered, the minutes 
were read, and the Committee adjourned the hearing 
and went into executive session. 

After carefully considering the testimony the Com¬ 
mittee reached the following opinion: 

“14th October, 1912. 

“Owner, Yacht Princess. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Replying to your letter of 14th August, in which 
you protested Elena for forcing Princess to go about 
while on the starboard tack, we beg leave to transmit 
herein our findings. 

“After hearing the testimony and after carefully 
considering the facts and opinions as presented by both 
yachts, the matter reduces to the question whether 
Elena, on the port tack, had the right to ask Princess, 
on the starboard tack, to go about in order to a-void 
fouling, so that Elena could keep clear of Middle 
Ground Shoal. 

“The facts are that both Elena and Princess were 
sailing parallel courses on the starboard tack, heading 
toward Middle Ground Shoal; that Elena came about 
on the port tack heading away from the shoal, the 
yachts then being not over three lengths apart; 
that Elena hailed Princess asking for room; and that 
Princess tacked at once to port, coming about under 
the starboard 1 (leeward) bow of Elena. 

“While Elena was on the starboard tack, heading 
toward the shoal, and when Elena had good cause to 
fear the risk of grounding, Elena should have hailed 
Princess, asking for room, and have tacked to port at 
as near the same time as possible with Princess. 

“Having failed to ask for room while headed toward 
the shoal with only several lengths between the yachts, 
Elena lost her rights on tacking to port and heading 
off the shoal. Elena then, in order to have prevented 
a foul, should have either passed astern of Princess, 

170 


or luffed into the wind, or have gone about. If one 
of these three conditions could not have been fulfilled, 
then the forcing of Princess to tack was the result of 
the unfortunate position into which 1 Elena sailed'. 

“The universal rule of the sea, prescribing how two 
vessels shall keep clear when one is on the starboard 
and the other on the port tack, should be inviolate, 
in order to prevent loss or injury to persons or property. 

“The Committee find that the protest of Princess 
against Elena is sustained. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee." 


\ 


171 


CASE VIII 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XII., SECTION 9 
(Last Paragraph) 

American Yacht Club 


“July 3, 1913. 

“To the Regatta Committee, 

American Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sirs : 

“In regard to our protest of yacht Spartan in your 
race to-day, we beg to submit the following facts. 

“We approached the starting line close hauled 
on the port tack, close to the buoy, Spartan being to 
weather of us and ahead. In order to kill time Spartan 
luffed and then bore off, still keeping to weather. 
Iroquois approached the same end of the line close 
hauled on starboard tack, forcing Spartan and our¬ 
selves. We hailed Spartan for room to tack as we 
could tack only by ramming her amidships, and there 
being no room for us to bear away under Iroquois* 
stern. Spartan delayed in tacking and in consequence 
had not filled away on starboard tack in time to enable 
us to clear Iroquois, whose port stern quarter touched 
our starboard (weather) stern quarter. 

“Had Spartan tacked when first hailed there would 
have been no question of a foul. As it was, had we 
tacked we would have run her down. 

“She delayed until she could clear the buoy on the 
starboard tack. 

“Respectfully yours, 

“Owners, Yacht Pleione” 


172 


GasBuoy+j .. 

/ / \ 

Spartan //J f X 

/* /} 

s y fy Pteione 

/ r N \ 

' / N 




Committee 

Boat 


I 

! 


/ 


/ 


/ 


\ 


Figure TVJ7T 


At the investigation, it appeared that Pleione could 
have kept off and passed under the stern of Iroquois II., 
if she had done so in time. Pleione delayed until too late. 
The situation is shown in Figure XVdll. 

The Committee 1 decided to act on its own initiative, 
under Rule XIX., in matter of interference with Iroquois 
II., and notified both Pleione and Spartan to that effect. 
This protest, however, was a separate issue. Iroquois II. 
did not file any protest. 

“7th July, 1913. 

“Owners, Yacht Pleione. 

“Gentlemen : 

“The Regatta Committee acknowledges the receipt 
of your letter of 3d July protesting Spartan in race 
of July 3d. 


‘See Case XI. 






“The Committete will notify Spartan and will take 
the matter under consideration. 

“As you are aware the Committee is considering 
the disqualification of Pleione and Spartan, either 
one or both, for interfering with Iroquois II. 

“Respectfully yours, 

“Regatta Committee/' 

“7th July, 1913. 

“Owner, Yacht Spartan. 

“Dear Captain : 

“The Committee is considering the disqualifica¬ 
tion of Pleione and Spartan either one or both, for 
interfering with Iroquois II. at the starting line on 
July 3d. 

“We understood, in answer to our hail, your answer 
to be, that you did not know Spartan had interfered 
with any yacht. 

“On July 5th we received a protest against Spartan 
from Pleione, a copy of which is attached. 

“Kindly let us hear from you if you have any 
explanation to make. 

“There are two questions at issue: First, the 
disqualification by the Committee of Pleione and 
Spartan on the port tack, either one or both, for 
interfering with Iroquois II. on the starboard tack. 
Second, the protest of Pleione against Spartan. 

“This protest will become void should the Com¬ 
mittee decide the first point against Spartan. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee." 

“8th July, 1913. 

“Regatta Committee, 

American Yacht Club, 

“Gentlemen : 

“I beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of 
the 7th instant, also a copy of a protest by owners of 
Pleione against the Spartan in the race of the 3d in- 


174 


stant. In reply to the same, I will repeat the statement 
made to you from the deck of the Spartan while you 
were on the Committee boat, namely, that we on the 
Spartan are entirely unconscious of having made any 
•interference. I was sailing the Spartan, and we on 
board know nothing of any call for room by owners 
of Pleione. I thought they had plenty. When the 
Iroquois came down on the starboard tack, I of course 
went about, and from a racing point of view gave it 
ample room. A friend, who was with me, was on deck 
at the time and confirms these facts, as does my sailing- 
master. 

“The Spartan certainly did not interfere with the 
Iroquois. Whether or not we interfered with the 
Pleione is a question that I will leave to your good 
judgment. She was a considerable way to leeward of 
us, and we heard no call for room; furthermore, if I 
remember correctly, I put the Spartan about to clear 
the Iroquois before the Pleione came about. However 
this is a pretty fine question. I was sailing my own 
boat, watching the Iroquois and the Pleione, and I may 
be mistaken. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Owner, Yacht Spartan. 

Pleione had no right to ask Spartan for room, until 
after Spartan had cleared the mark, because Spartan 
had a right under Rule XII., Sections 8 and 9. 

“14th July, 1913. 

“Owners, Yachts Pleione and Spartan. 

“Gentlemen : 

“Referring to the start of the race of 3d July, 
the facts as known to the Committee were: 

(< Spartan and Pleione approached the line on the 
port tack, the former to weather and somewhat ahead, 
but with an overlap established, and both close to the 
mark buoy. 




i 


175 


“Iroquois II. approached on the starboard tack, and 
had the right-of-way. 

“It was necessary for Pleione to keep clear! of 
Iroquois II. The latter, however, was forced to go 
about to prevent a collision. 

“Pleione claims that there was not room to keep 
clear, because Spartan was to weather and close 
aboard. 

“Spartan having an overlap had the right to pass 
the mark buoy on the proper hand, and could not be 
forced about by Pleione. 

“The starboard tack rights of Iroquois II. were 
interfered with by Pleione and not by Spartan. There 
was no question of sea room because Pleione could 
have kept off. If any interference had developed 
later by so doing between Iroquois II. and Spartan, 
it would have been another question. 

“The interference of Iroquois II. by Pleione resulted 
from the unfortunate position into which Pleione 
was sailed. The Committee have decided to dis¬ 
qualify Pleione under Racing Rule XIX., Section 4. 

“Referring to Plcione’s protest of Spartan, the 
protest is not sustained, because, first, being disqualified 
the right to protest failed, and secondly, Spartan did 
go about as soon after clearing the buoy as the wind 
and tide would permit with safety. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee." 


176 


CASE IX 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XVIII 
New York Yacht Club 


(Not dated.) 

“Chairman of Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Dear Sir: 

“I herewith protest the Auxiliary Schooner Yacht 
Idler on August the thirteenth in the run from Morris 
Cove to New London. 

“In the first place she had no racing number on her 
mainsail, we of course supposed she was not in the 
race, and secondly she forced us about while we were 
on the starboard 1 tack which is another violation of all 
racing rules. 

“Yours very truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Atlantic.” 


Although this protest was received about five months 
after the race was sailed, the decision would have been 
the same if the written protest had been received within 
a much shorter time. The rule is clear that the protest 
code flag “B” shall be at once displayed and the protest 
supplemented by a written statement of the facts, and 
sent to the Committee before 6 p.m. of the next (week) 
day. A Committee must have a definite statement in 


177 


writing, which it can send to the protested yacht for 
consideration and reply. It is not a hardship to 
supplement the flag by a letter written within twenty- 
four hours, if the protest is deemed to be worthy of action 
by the Committee. 

On large yachts, the protest flag “B” is an essential 
feature of the rule, and it should be always so considered. 

The Committee replied as below: 


“5th March, 1905. 

“Owner, Yaclit Atlantic, 

“Dear Sir: 

“The Regatta Committee begs leave to acknowledge 
receipt of your favor on February 5th, enclosing an 
undated protest against Auxiliary Schooner Idler in 
the run from Morris Cove to New London, on August 
13, 1904. 

“The Committee regrets to inform you that they 
do not sustain the above mentioned protest, on the 
ground that the said protest was not filed within 
the prescribed time as called for in Rule XVII. 1 of 
the Racing Rules. 

“Very truly yours, 

“Regatta Committee.” 


1 Now Rule XVIII. 


178 



CASE X 


PROTEST UNDER RULE XIX., SECTION 2 
New York Yacht Club 


This protest resulted after both yachts had made about 
twenty-five short tacks against the tide. 

“11th August, 1906. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“I protest Queen in to-day’s race under Rule XX., 1 
Section 2, for wrongfully causing Elmina to tack upon 
calling ‘shoal water’ when the necessity for such call 
did not exist. Elmina was on Queen s weather and 
by tacking lost her favored position. Immediately 
before and after tacking, Elmina took such measures 
as were practicable to ascertain the conditions and her 
position. 

“Both chart and sounding lead gave plenty of water 
with a very large margin of safety. 

“Respectfully, 

“Owner, Yacht Elmina.” 

A copy of the protest was immediately sent to Queen. 
A date for a hearing was arranged, convenient for all 
parties. 

1 This rule is now Rule XIX. 

179 


v 



At the hearing the following statement was written 
out and agreed to by both yachts. Also, a brief synop¬ 
sis of each yacht’s claim was taken down in writing 
(Figure XIX.). 

Statement of Facts, as Agreed to by both Yachts 

“On one of the tacks to windward, about half-way 
between Tarpaulin Cove and Robinsons Hole, when both 
yachts were standing on the port tack with Elmina to 
windward, the Queen called for water and at or about 
the same time luffed in the wind. Elmina went about, 
the Queen following, both on the starboard tack, Tarpau¬ 
lin Cove Light bearing from Elmina northeast one 
quarter east, both yachts distant from the shore between 
one quarter of a mile and 1200 feet. In the new position 
Elmina was leading, with Queen 'in her wake and very 
slightly to leeward of her wake. 

“The course of the yachts at the time of the hail for 
water was west three quarters north. The speed of the 
yachts through the water was about 6 to 7 knots at the 
time. The hour of the day was 12.05 p.m. The direc¬ 
tion of the wind was southwest three quarters west. 
The direction of the tide was to the eastward. Just as 
Elmina went about the lead line was cast and no bottom 
was found at the seven fathom mark. (The statement of 
this sounding was made by Elmina, and Queen had no 
means of disputing the same.) The draught of Elmina 
was 15ft. 6 in. The draught of Queen was 23 ft. with 
board down. The distance between the courses of the 
yachts was about 250 feet just before the call for water, 
the Queen being on Elmina’s lee bow. 


180 



YYOiE 


Wind 



5oi/ntrirtq y rn/sjoms aruf 
'VAr/Zo/natoo/fM of/More 


■ f «W< 

• y'lb-r ’ 
a. 

-3 .S-'^ 

• - - -i\* ■ ■• -w 
V'v- - . ftl 

* •■ ■ '.\W 

• t . ’ £< 

. v-«.••;;•.•? 


£* £L MlYV4 
G=GUELN 


Yachfs ntaae cttov/ fSsAcr/ 
toe Afs before re^eAMg /oei/fo't (!) 
w/ren Queer? /w/feof for room. 



TAPPAOUN COVE 
MG/fT . 


* 


Figure XEK. 









“Elmina’s protest is made under Section 2 of Racing 
Rule XX., 1 and! Queen’s answer is made under Section 9 
of Racing Rule XIII. 2 

“The Statement of Elmina: 

“Just before the call from Queen, Elmina was out- 
footing Queen and claims she would have gone clear 
before placing Queen in danger of going ashore. The 
advantage which Elmina had maintained 1 in the previous 
tacks was due to her windward position, holding back 
Queen until Elmina became in front of Queen, allowing 
the yachts to go about practically at the same time and 
Elmina to maintain position, although Queen went in 
stays and filled away more rapidly than Elmina. 

“The Statement of Queen: 

“The Queen claims that it would have been impossible 
for Elmina to have placed herself on Queen’s weather 
bow before both would have been on the beach; that she 
had not only to reach past her but to get out by her wind 
and get on her weather bow to hold her in any way, 
and in one minute it would have been impossible for 
her to—going at the speed she was—hold us and outfoot 
us, as she ( Elmina ) would have had to travel 250 feet 
per minute faster than Queen, and as both yachts were 
going at least 600 feet per minute it would mean that 
Elmina would have had to sail more than three feet to 
Queen’s two feet. There is no evidence to justify any 
such claim. Furthermore, Queen claims that the inside 
yacht on a lee shore, especially when her draft exceeds 
that of the outside yacht by nearly fifty per cent, is 
entitled to be the judge as to when the danger point has 

1 This rule is now Rule XIX. 2 This rule is now Rule XII. 


182 



been reached and not be forced to take the chance of 
wrecking to avoid being protested. 

“According to the statement of the fact as to the dis¬ 
tance the two boats were from the beach—about 
1500 feet—at the speed the boats were going, in two 
and a half minutes we (Queen) would have been on dry 
land, which would leave very little margin for any boat 
that was on the quarter of another to get out on her 
weather bow when the boats were going at practically 
the same speed 1 through the water.” 

This record was sent to each yacht before the Com¬ 
mittee reached any conclusion. In reply the following 
letter was received from Elmina. 

“November 20, 1906. 

“Regatta Committee, 

New York Yacht Club. 

“Gentlemen : 

“I have the copy of the statement of Elmina and 
Queen, and the additional statement of Queen. I must 
take exception to this statement of Queen. Elmina 
at the time was increasingly blanketing Queen, Queen 
losing speed. Elmina having overcome the inertia of 
tacking shortly before was gaining speed. It would 
have been but a very short time before Queen could 
tack and go clear. 

“This is, I think, well established by the earlier 
history of the race. Elmina, starting some 17 seconds 
ahead of Queen, maintained! her position through some 
25 tacks and improved it, as at the time of the hail 
by Queen, Elmina was nearly 250 feet to windward. 

“Two hundred and fifty feet at six knots equals 
about one half a minute of time, and to windward is 
more than this. What would have happened had! the 
Queen held her course a minute longer cannot be 
established by fact. 


183 


“This fact has been established by bearing and 
sounding by Elmina, and acknowledgment by Queen, 
that Queen was in no danger of going ashore at the 
time of her hail. Queen based her hail upon what 
might happen at sometime more or less distant. 
Queen took none of the usual means to ascertain 
her position relative to her distance from shore, 
nor depth of water at the time of her hailing. 
Queen estimates a shorter distance to shore than 
Elmina at the time of her hail. How does she estimate 
this? Her bearing at the time of the tack preceding 
the hail, her course and time sailed. The estimated 
speed of Queen is six to seven knots,—not very accu¬ 
rate. Ehnina’s estimate should be nearly correct, 
as she took the bearing, and the sounding showed 
not less than a certain depth. Under the rule, the 
inshore yacht has a right to hail when she is in danger 
of going ashore, and the outside yacht is obliged to 
give way; but is not an inshore yacht obligated to 
some extent to assure herself of her position? 

“Yours truly, 

“Owner, Yacht Elmina” 

After careful consideration of the facts as reported, the 
Committee sent the following letter: 

“24th November, 1906. 

“Owner, Yacht Elmina. 

“Dear Sir: 

“Having carefully considered the testimony in 
reference to your protest of 11th August, 1906, against 
Queen, we beg leave to state our findings as follows: 

“1. Your protest was made under that part of 
Section 2, Racing Rule XX., 1 which' states that ‘any 
yacht which shall without due cause compel another 
yacht to give room or to tack under Section 9, Racing 
Rule XIII., 2 shall be disqualified/ 

“2. As there was no question about the call of 
Queen for room, or about the promptness of Elmina in 

1 This rule is now Rule XIX. 2 This is now Rule XII. 


184 



giving room by tacking when hailed, the question at 
issue resolves itself into: first, was Queen, by virtue of 
her position under Elmina s lee bow when approaching 
shoal water, justified 'in calling for room; and, second, 
did Elmina suffer anything by going about when hailed, 
that is, more than she might have suffered when she 
must have tacked a little later when nearer the shore. 

“3. Rules XIII. 1 and' XX. 2 provide protection 
for a yacht approaching shoal water. While a yacht 
must not call for room too soon, the evident intention 
of the rules is that a yacht shall not be carried by 
another until such a point is reached that there is 
actual danger of grounding, but that a yacht may come 
about before there is actual risk of accident. The 
danger point in approaching any shore is indefinite, 
and the relief provided is a hail for room, with the 
qualification that the yacht hailing shall tack at the 
same time as the yacht hailed. It appears that Queen 
did' commence to come about before Elmina. 

“4. As the beach was distant not more than 1500 
feet, and possibly not over 1200 feet, and as at least a 
large portion of this distance was too shoal for a yacht 
drawing twenty-three feet of water, we believe that 
the hail of Queen for water was justifiable. 

“5. As the yachts were sailing at the rate of about 
6 l / 2 knots, or at a speed of about 660 feet per minute, 
Elmina in all probability would have tacked within one 
minute after she did tack. During that minute, 
Elmina could not have outfooted Queen enough to 
allow Elmina to be on Queen's weather when the 
yachts filled away on the starboard tack. We, there¬ 
fore, believe that Elmina did not suffer any material 
damage due to answering the call of Queen for water. 

“6. In view of the foregoing, the protest is not 
sustained. 

“Yours respectfully, 

“Regatta Committee/' 

1 This rule is now Rule XII. 2 This is now Rule XIX. 


185 



CASE XI 


DISQUALIFICATION UNDER RULE XIX., SECTION 4 

American Yacht Club 


The American Yacht Club held an open regatta on 
3rd July, 1913, in which a number of the N. Y. Y. C. 
“Fifties,” started. Some of the yachts approached 
the starting line on the starboard tack, of which 
Iroquois II. was one, and some on the port tack, of 
which Spartan and Pleione were two. The others 
were not involved Just after they crossed the line, 
Iroquois II. had to come about to clear Pleione. The 
situation is shown in Figure XVIII., as Pleione protested 
Spartan. 1 The Committee saw the breach of Rule XII., 
Section 2, Clause (a), and at the finish of the race asked 
both Spartan and Pleione if they had any explanation 
why Iroquois II. was interfered with while on the star¬ 
board tack. 

After hearing from all parties, the Committee con¬ 
cluded that Pleione should have foreseen the situation that 
was arising and have borne away in time to pass under 
the stern of Iroquois II., and decided that: 


1 Under Rule XII., Section 9, last paragraph. See Case 8. 

186 



“The starboard tack rights of Iroquois II. were 
interfered with by Pleione and not by Spartan. There 
was no question of sea room because Pleione could 
have kept off. If any interference had developed 
later by so doing between Iroquois II. and Spartan, 
it would have been another question. 

“The interference of Iroquois II. by Pleione, resulted 
from the unfortunate position into which Pleione 
was sailed. The Committee have decid'ed to dis¬ 
qualify Pleione under Racing Rule XIX., Section 4. 

“Yours respectfully, 

Regatta Committee/' 


187 


CHAPTER VIII 


Table of Time Allowance 

The tables are based upon the assumption that, 
under average racing conditions, a yacht of rating 
measurement, R, will sail one nautical mile in the number 
of seconds given by the formula. 

2160 

-=— -f 183.64 

VR 

The allowance per mile between yachts of different 
ratings, therefore, will be given by 

2160 2160 

V r VR 

in which R is the rating measurement of the large yacht 
and r that of the smaller one. 

Rule for Using the Table . 

The figures to be found in the table show in seconds 
and hundredths of a second what a yacht of the measure¬ 
ment opposite these figures would be allowed by one of 
150 feet, in sailing one nautical mile. 

To find what a yacht of any measurement should 
receive from a larger one, take the figures to be found 
opposite the smaller measurement; from these subtract 


188 





the figures opposite the measurement of the larger 
yacht, and the difference multiplied by the number 
of nautical miles in the course will give the amount of 
the allowance due to the smaller vessel, in seconds and 
hundredths of a second. 

To find thej number of seconds required for any 
yacht to sail one nautical mile add 360 to the number 
in the table opposite the yacht’s rating measurement. 

Example. 

What time will a yacht of 70 feet racing length have 
to allow to one of 65 feet racing length, in a course of 
20 nautical miles ? 


The time opposite 65 rating is. 91.55 

The time opposite 70 rating is. 81.82 


Difference . 9.73 

Number of Nautical Miles. 20 


Allowance ,.194.6 

Or 3 minutes 15 seconds 


For fractions of a foot in the measurement use the 
nearest tenth to be found! in the table. 


189 









—--——- - 

TIME ALLOWANCE TABLES FOR ONE NAUTICAL 

MILE IN SECONDS AND DECIMALS. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow 

ance. 

i5-o 

381.35 

18.O 

332.75 

21.0 

294.98 

24.O 

264.55 

.1 

379.49 

.1 

331.33 

.1 

293.87 

.1 

263.64 

.2 

377.65 

.2 

329.93 

.2 

292.76 

.2 

262.73 

.3 

375.83 

.3 

328.54 

.3 

291.65 

.3 

261.82 

.4 

374.03 

.4 

327.17 

.4 

290.56 

.4 

260.92 

.-5 

372.26 

.5 

325.83 

.5 

289.48 

.5 

260.03 

.6 

370.50 

.6 

*324.48 

.6 

288.40 

.6 

259.14 

.7 

368.76 

.7 

323.14 

.7 

287.33 

.7 

258.26 

.8 

367.03 

.8 

321,82 

.8 

286.26 

.8 

257.38 

. .9 

365.31 

.9 

320.50 

.9 

285.20 

.9 

256.51 

16.0 

363.64 

19.0 

319.19 

22.0 

284.15 

25.0 

255.65 

.1 

361.97 

.1 

317.89 

. 1 

283.10 

.1 

254.78 

.2 

360.31 

.2 

316.60 

.2 

282.07 

.2 

253.92 

.3 

358.66 

.3 

315.32 

.3 

281.04 

.3 

253.07 

.4 

357.02 

.4 

314.05 

.4 

280.02 

.4 

252.23 

.5 

355.39 

.5 

312.78 

.5 

279.00 

.5 

251.39 

.6 

353.79 

.6 

311.53 

.6 

277.99 

.6 

250.55 

.7 

352.21 

.7 

310.29 

.7 

276.99 

.7 

249.72 

.8 

350.64 

.8 

309.06 

8 

276.00 

.8 

248.89 

.9 

349.08 

.9 

307.84 

.9 

275.01 

.9 

248.07 

17.0 

347.52 

20.0 

306.62 

23.0 

274.03 

26.0 

247.25 

.1 

345.99 

.1 

305.42 

.1 

273 06 

.1 

246.44 

.2 

344.47 

.2 

304.24 

.2 

272.09 

.2 

245.63 

.3 

342.96 

.3 

303.05 

.3 

271.13* 

.3 

244.82 

.4 

341.46 

.4 

301.87 

.4 

270.17 

.4 

244.02 

.5 

339.97 

.5 

300.71 

.5 

269.22 

.5 

243.23 

.6 

338.50 

.6 

299.54 

.6 

268.27 

.6 

242.44 

.7 

337.04 

.7 

298.39 

.7 

267.33 

.7 

241.66 

.8 

335.60 

.8 

297.25 

.8 

266.40 

.8 

240.88 

.9 

334.17 

.9 

296.11 

.9 

265.48 

.9 

240.10 


190 


























Time Allowance.— Continued. 


Rating., 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

27.0 

239.33 

31.0 

211.61 

35-o 

188.76 

39.0 

169.52 

• .1 

238.56 

.1 

210.98 

.1 

188.24 

.1 

169.08 

.2 

237.79 

.2 

210.36 

.2 

187.72 

.2 

168.64 

.3 

237.03 

.3 

209.74 

.3 

187.20 

.3 

168.19 

.4 

236.27 

.4 

209.11 

.4 

186.68 

.4 

167.75 

.5 

235.52 

.5 

208.50 

.5 

186.17 

.5 

167.31 

.6 

234.78 

.6 

207.89 

.6 

185.65 

.6 

166.88 

.7 

234.04 

.7 

207.28 

.7 

185.15 

.7 

166.45 

.8 

233.30 

.8 

206.68 

.8 

184.64 

.8 

166.02 

.9 

232.57 

.9 

206.08 

.9 

184.14 

.9 

165.60 

28.0 

231.84 

3^.0 

205.48 

36.0 

183.64 

40.0 

165.18 

.1 

231.11 

.1 

204.88 

.1 

183.14 

.1 

164.75 

.2 

230.39 

.2 

204.29 

.2 

182.64 

.2 

164.32 

.3 

229.67 

.3 

203.70 

.3 

182.15 

.3 

163.88 

.4 

228.95 

.4 

203.11 

.4 

181.66 

.4 

163.46 

.5 

228.24 

.5 

202.52 

.5 

181.16 

.5 

163.04 

.6 

227.53 

.6 

201.94 

.6 

180.67 

.6 

162.62 

.7 

226.82 

.7 

201.36 

.7 

180.19 

.7 

162.21 

.8 

226.12 

.8 

200.79 

.8 

179.71 

.8 

161.80 

.9 

225.43 

.9 

200.22 

.9 

179.23 

.9 

161.39 

29.0 

224.74 

33-0 

199.65 

37-o 

178.75 

41.0 

160.98 

.1 

224.05 

.1 

199.08 

.1 

178.27 

.1 

160.56 

.2 

223.37 

.2 

198.51 

.2 

177.79 

.2 

160.15 

.3 

222.68 

.3 

197.95 

.3 

177.31 

.3 

159.74 

.4 

222.00 

.4 

197.39 

.4 

176.83 

.4 

159.34 

.5 

221.33 

.5 

196.83 

.5 

176.36 

.5 

158.93 

.6 

220.66 

.6 

196.27 

.6 

175.90 

.6 

158.52 

.7 

219.99 

.7 

195.72 

.7 

175.43 

.7 

158.12 

.8 

219.32 

.8 

195.17 

.8 

174.96 

.8 

157.73 

.9 

218.66 

.9 

194.63 

.9 

174.50 

.9 

157.33 

30.0 

218.00 

34-0 

194.09 

38.0 

174.04 

42.0 

156.93 

.1 

217.34 

.1 

193.54 

.1 

173.58 

.1 

156.53 

.2 

‘216.70 

.2 

193.00 

.2 

173.12 

.2 

156.13 

.3 

216.05 

.3 

192.46 

.3 

172.67 

.3 

155.74 

.4 

215.40 

.4 

191.92 

.4 

172.21 

.4 

155.35 

.5 

214.75 

.5 

191.38 

.5 

171.76 

.5 

154.96 

.6 

214.11 

.6 

190.85 

.6 

171.30 

.6 

154.57 

.7 

213.48 

.7 

190.32 

.7 

170.84 

.7 

154.19 

.8 

212.85 

,8 

189.79 

.8 

170.40 

.8 

153.80 

.9 

212.23 

.9 

189.28 

.9 

169.96 

.9 

153.42 


191 



























Time Allowance.— Continued . 


Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow* 

ance. 

43*o 

153.04 

47-0 

138.71 

51.0 

126.10 

55.0 

114.90 

.1 

152.66 

.1 

138.38 

.1 

125.81 

.1 

114.64 

9 
• ^ 

152.28 

.2 

138.05 

.2 

125.51 

f .2 

114.37 

.3 

151.90 

.3 

137.71 

.c 

125.21 

.3 

114.11 

.4 

151.52 

.4 

137.38 

A 

124.92 

.4 

113.84 

.5 

151.14 

.5 

137.05 

.5 

124.62 

.5 

113.58 

.6 

150.76 

.6 

136.73 

.6 

124.33 

.6 

113.32 

.7 

150.38 

.7 

136.40 

.7 

124.04 

.7 

113.05 

.8 

150.01 

.8 

136.07 

.8 

123.76 

.8 

112.79 

.9 

149.65 

.9 

135.74 

.9 

123.47 

.9 

112.53 

44.0 

149.28 

48.0 

135.44 

52.0 

123.18 

56.0 

112.27 

.1 

148.91 

.1 

135.08 

.1 

122.89 

.1 

112.01 

.2 

148.54 

.2 

134.76 

.2 

122.60 

.2 

111.75 

.3 

148.17 

.3 

134.44 

.3 

122.32 

.3 

111.49 

.4 

147.80 

.4 

134.11 

.4 

122.03 

.4 

111.24 

.5 

147.43 

.5 

133.79 

.5 

121.74 

.5 

110.99 

.6 

147.07 

.6 

133.47 

.6 

121.45 

.6 

110.74 

.7 

146.71 

.7 

133.16 

.7 

121.17 

.7 

110.49 

.8 

146.35 

.8 

132.85 

.8 

120.89 

.8 

110.24 

.9 

145.99 

.9 

132.54 

.9 

120.61 

.9 

109.99 

45-0 

145.64 

49.0 

132.22 

53.0 

120.33 

57*o 

109.74 

.1 

145.28 

.1 

131.90 

.1 

120.05 

.1 

109.49 

.2 

144.92 

.2 

131.58 

.2 

119.77 

.2 

109.24 

.3 

144.56 

.3 

131.27 

.3 

119.50 

.3 

108.99 

.4 

144.20 

.4 

130.96 

.4 

119.22 

.4 

108.74 

.5 

143.85 

.5 

130.64 

.5 

118.94 

.5 

108.49 

.6 

143.50 

.6 

130.33 

.6 

118.67 

.6 

108.24 

.7 

143.15 

.7 

130.03 

.7 

118.39 

.7 

108.00 

.8 

142.80 

.8 

129.72 

.8 

118.12 

.8 

107.76 

.9 

142.46 

.9 

129.42 

.9 

117.85 

.9 

107.52 

46.0 

142.12 

50.0 

129.12 

54-0 

117.58 

58.0 

107.28 

.1 

141.78 

.1 

128.81 

.1 

117.31 

.1 

107.03 

.2 

141.43 

.2 

128.50 

.2 

117.04 

.2 

106.78 

.3 

141.08 

.3 

128.20 

.3 

116.77 

.3 

106.52 

.4 

140.74 

.4 

127.89 

.4 

116.50 

.4 

106.28 

.5 

140.39 

.5 

127.58 

.5 

116.23 

.5 

106.04 

.6 

140.04 

.6 

127.28 

.6 

115.96 

.6 

105.80 

.7 

139.70 

.7 

126.98 

*7 

115.69 

.7 

105.56 

.8 

139.37 

.8 

126.68 

.8 

115.43 

.8 

105.32 

.9 

139.04 

.9 

126,39 

.9 

115.16 

.9 

106.08 


192 




























Time Allowance.— Continued . 


Rating. 

Allow 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

50.0 

104.84 

63.O 

95.78 

67.O 

87 52 

71.0 

79.99 

.1 

104.60 

.1 

95.56 

.1 

87.32 

.1 

79.80 

.2 

104 36 

.2 

95.34 

.2 

87.12 

.2 

79.62 

.3 

104.12 

.3 

95.12 

.3 

86.92 

.3 

79.44 

.4 

103.89 

.4 

94.91 

.4 

86.73 

.4 

79.26 

.5 

103.66 

5 

94.70 

5 

86.54 

.5 

79 08 

.6 

103.42 

6 

94.49 

.6 

86.35 

6 

78.90 

.7 

103.19 

7 

94.27 

.7 

86.16 

.7 

78.72 

.8 

102.96 

.8 

94.06 

.8 

85.97 

8 

78.54 

.9 

102.73 

.9 

93.85 

.9 

85.78 

.9 

78.37 

6o.o 

102.50 

64.0 

93.64 

68.0 

85.59 

72.0 

78.20 

.1 

102.26 

.1 

93.43 

.1 

85.40 

.1 

78.02 

.2 

102.03 

.2 

93.22 

.2 

85.21 

.2 

77.84 

.3 

101.80 

.3 

93.01 

.3 

85.02 

.3 

77.66 

.4 

101.57 

.4 

92.80 

.4 

84.83 

.4 

77.48 

.5 

.101.34 

.5 

92.59 

.5 

84.64 

.5 

77.30 

.6 

101.11 

.6 

92.38 

.6 

84.45 

.6 

77.13 

.7 

100.88 

.7 

92.17 

.7 

84.26 

.7 

76.96 

.8 

100.66 

.8 

91.97 

.8 

84.07 

.8 

76.79 

.9 

100.43 

.9 

91.76 

.9 

83.88 

.9 

76.62 

6i.o 

100.21 

65.0 

91.55 

69.0 

83.69 

73-o 

76.45 

.1 

99.98 

.1 

91.34 

.1 

83.50 

.1 

76.27 

.2 

99.76 

.2 

91.14 

.2 

83.31 

.2 

76.10 

.3 

99.53 

.3 

90.94 

.3 

83.12 

.3 

75.93 

A 

99.30 

.4 

90.73 

.4 

82.93 

.4 

75.76 

.5 

99.07 

.5 

90.53 

.5 

82.74 

.5 

75.59 

.6 

98.84 

.6 

90.32 

.6 

82.55 

.6 

75.42 

.7 

98.62 

.7 

90.12 

.7 

82.36 

.7 

75.25 

.8 

98.40 

.8 

89.92 

.8 

82.17 

.8 

75.08 

.9 

98.18 

.9 

89.72 

.9 

81.99 

,9 

74.91 

62.0 

97.96 

66.0 

89.52 

70.0 

81.82 

74.0 

74.74 

.1 

97.74 

.1 

89.32 

.1 

81.63 

.1 

74.57 

.2 

97.51 

.2 

89.12 

.2 

81.44 

.2 

74.39 

.3 

97.29 

.3 

88.92 

.3 

81.25 

.3 

74.22 

.4 

97.07 

.4 

88.72 

.4 

81.07 

.4 

74.05 

.5 

96.85 

.5 

88.52 

.5 

80.89 

.5 

73.88 

.6 

96.64 

.6 

88.32 

.6 

80.71 

.6 

73.72 

.7 

96.42 

.7 

88.12 

.7 

80.53 

.7 

73.55 

.8 

96.20 

.8 

87.92 

.8 

80.35 

.8 

73.39 

.9 

95.99 

.9 

87.72 

.9 

80.17 

.9 

73.23 


193 

























Time Allowance.— Continued. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

75* ° 

73.07 

79.0 

66.67 

83.0 

60.72 

87.O 

55.21 

.1 

72.90 

.1 

66.52 

.1 

60.58 

.1 

55.08 

.2 

72.73 

.2 

66.36 

.2 

60.43 

.2 

54.95 

.3 

72.56 

.3 

66.20 

.3 

60.29 

.3 

54.82 

.4 

72.40 

.4 

66.05 

.4 

60.14 

.4 

54.68 

.5 

72.23 

.5 

65.89 

.5 

60.00 

.5 

54.55 

.6 

72.06 

.6 

65.74 

.6 

59.86 

.6 

54.42 

.7 

71.89 

.7 

65.59 

.7 

59.72 

.7 

54.29 

.8 

71.73 

.8 

65.44 

.8 

59.58 

.8 

54.16 

.9 

71.57 

.9 

65.29 

.9 

59.44 

.9 

54.02 

76.0 

71.41 

80.0 

65.14 

84.0 

59.30 

88.0 

53.89 

.1 

71.24 

.1 

64.99 

.1 

59.16 

.1 

53.76 

.2 

71.08 

.2 

64.84 

.2 

59.02 

.2 

53.63 

.3 

70.92 

.3 

64.68 

.3 

58.87 

.3 

53.50 

.4 

70.76 

.4 

64.53 

.4 

58.73 

.4 

53.36 

.5 

70.60 

.5 

64.38 

.5 

58.58 

.5 

53.23 

.6 

70.44 

.6 

64.23 

.6 

58.44 

.6 

53.10 

.7 

70.28 

.7 

64.08 

.7 

58.31 

.7 

52.97 

.8 

70.12 

.8 

63.93 

.8 

58.18 

.8 

52.84 

.9 

69.96 

.9 

63.79 

.9 

58.04 

.9 

52.71 

77.o 

69.80 

81.0 

63.64 

85.0 

57.90 

89.0 

52.58 

.1 

69.64 

.1 

63.49 

.1 

57.76 

.1 

52.45 

.2 

69.48 

.2 

63.34 

.2 

57.62 

.2 

52.32 

.3 

69.32 

.3 

63.19 

.3 

57.48 

.3 

52.19 

.4 

69.16 

.4 

63.04 

.4 

57.34 

.4 

52.06 

.5 

69.00 

.5 

62.89 

.5 

57.20 

.5 

51.93 

.6 

68.84 

.6 

62.75 

.6 

57.07 

.6 

51.80 

.7 

68.69 

.7 

62.60 

.7 

56.94 

.7 

51.67 

.8 

68.53 

.8 

62.46 

.8 

56.81 

.8 

51.55 

.9 

68.38 

.9 

62.32 

.9 

56.68 

.9 

51.42 

78.0 

68.22 

82.0 

62.17 

86.0 

56.54 

90.0 

51.29 

.1 

68.06 

.1 

62.02 

.1 

56.40 

.1 

51.16 

.2 

67.90 

.2 

61.87 

.2 

56.27 

.2 

51.03 

.3 

67.74 

.3 

61.73 

.3 

56.14 

.3 

50.90 

.4 

67.58 

.4 

61.58 

.4 

56.00 

.4 

50.78 

.5 

67.43 

.5 

61.44 

.5 

55.87 

.5 

50.66 

.6 

67.27 

.6 

61.30 

.6 

55.74 

.6 

50.54 

.7 

67.12 

.7 

61.15 

.7 

55.61 

.7 

50.42 

.8 

66.97 

.8 

61.01 

.8 

55.48 

.8 

50.30 

.9 

66.82 

.9 

60.86 

.9 

55.34 

.9 

50.18 


194 



























Time Allowance. — Continued . 

* 

Rating 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

91.0 

50.06 

95-° 

45.24 

99.O 

40.73 

IO3.O 

36.47 

.1 

49.93 

.1 

45.12 

.1 

40.61 

.1 

36.36 

.2 

49.80 

.2 

45.00 

.2 

40.49 

.2 

36.25 

.3 

49.67 

.3 

44.88 

.3 

40.38 

.3 

36.14 

.4 

49.55 

A 

44.76 

.4 

40.27 

.4 

36.04 

.5 

49.43 

.5 

44.64 

.5 

40.16 

.5 

35.94 

.6 

49.31 

.6 

44.52 

.6 

40.06 

.6 

35.84 

.7 

49.19 

.7 

44.41 

.7 

39.95 

.7 

35.74 

.8 

49.07 

.8 

44.30 

.8 

39.84 

.8 

35.64 

.9 

48.95 

.9 

44.19 

.9 

39.73 

.9 

35.54 

92.0 

48.83 

96.0 

44.08 

100.0 

39.62 

104.0 

35.44 

.1 

48.70 

.1 

43.97 

.1 

39.52 

.1 

35.34 

.2 

48.57 

.2 

43.85 

.2 

39.41 

.2 

35.23 

.3 

48.44 

.3 

43.73 

.3 

39.30 

.3 

35.12 

.4 

48.32 

.4 

43.61 

.4 

39.19 

.4 

35.02 

.5 

48.20 

.5 

43.49 

.5 

39.08 

.5 

34.92 

.6 

48.08 

.6 

43.38 

.6 

38.98 

.6 

34.82 

.7 

47.96 

.7 

43.27 

.7 

38.87 

.7 

34.72 

.8 

47.84 

.8 

43.16 

.8 

38.76 

.8 

34.62 

.9 

47.72 

.9 

43.05 

.9 

38.66 

.9 

34.52 

93*o 

47.60 

97*o 

42.94 

101J0 

38.56 

105.0 

34.42 

.1 

47.48 

.1 

42.83 

.1 

38.46 

.1 

34.32 

.2 

47.36 

.2 

42.71 

.2 

38.35 

.2 

34.22 

.3 

47.24 

.3 

42.59 

.3 

38.24 

.3 

34.12 

.4 

47.12 

.4 

42.48 

.4 

38.14 

.4 

34.02 

.5 

47.00 

.5 

42.37 

.5 

38.03 

.5 

33.92 

.6 

46.88 

.6 

42.26 

.6 

37.92 

.6 

33.82 

.7 

46.76 

.7 

42.16 

.7 

37.81 

.7 

33.72 

.8 

46.65 

.8 

42.05 

.8 

37.70 

.8 

33.62 

.9 

46.54 

.9 

41.94 

.9 

37.60 

.9 

33.52 

94.0 

46.43 

98.0 

41.83 

102.0 

37.50 

106.0 

33.42 

.1 

46.31 

.1 

41.71 

.1 

37.39 

.1 

33.32 

.2 

46.19 

.2 

41.59 

.2 

37.28 

.2 

33.22 

.3 

46.07 

.3 

41.48 

.3 

37.18 

.3 

33.12 

.4 

45.95 

.4 

41.38 

.4 

37.07 

.4 

33.02 

.5 

45.83 

.5 

41.27 

.5 

36.97 

.5 

32.93 

.6 

45.71 

.6 

41.16 

.6 

36.87 

.6 

32.83 

.7 

45.59 

.7 

41.05 

.7 

36.77 

.7 

32.74 

.8 

45.47 

.8 

40.94 

.8 

36.67 

.8 

32.64 

.9 

45.35 

.9 

40.84 

.9 

36.57 

.9 

32.54 


195 






























Timb Allowance.— Continued. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow- 

ance. 

107.0 

32.45 

IXI.O 

28.61 

115*0 

25.04 

II9.0 

21.65 

.1 

32.35 

.1 

28.52 

.1 

24.95 

.1 

21.56 

.2 

32.26 

.2 

28.43 

.2 

24.86 

.2 

21.48 

.3 

32.16 

.3 

28.34 

.3 

24,-77 

.3 

21.40 

.4 

32.06 

.4 

28.25 

.4 

24.68 

.4 

21.31 

.5 

31.97 

.5 

28.16 

.5 

24.60 

.5 

21.23 

.6 

31.87 

.6 

28.07 

.6 

24.52 

.6 

21.14 

.7 

31.78 

.7 

27.98 

.7 

24.43 

.7 

21.06 

.8 

31.68 

.8 

27.89 

.8 

24.35 

.8 

20.98 

-9 

31.58 

.9 

27.80 

.9 

24.26 

.9 

20.90 

108.0 

31.49 

113.0 

27.71 

116.0 

24.17 

120.0 

20.82 

.1 

31.39 

.1 

27.62 

.1 

24.08 

.1 

20.74 

.2 

31.30 

.2 

27.53 

.2 

24.00 

.2 

20.65 

.3 

31.20 

.3 

27.44 

.3 

23.92 

.3 

20.57 

.4 

31.10 

.4 

27.35 

.4 

23.83 

.4 

20.48 

.5 

31.01 

.5 

27.26 

.5 

23.75 

.5 

20.40 

.6 

30.91 

.6 

27.17 

.6 

23.66 

.6 

20.32 

.7 

30.82 

.7 

27.08 

.7 

23.58 

.7 

20.23 

.8 

30.72 

.8 

26.99 

.8 

23.50 

.8 

20.15 

.9 

30.62 

-9 

26.90 

.9 

23.41 

.9 

20.06 

109.0 

30.53 

113*0 

26.81 

117.0 

23.33 

I2X.O 

19.98 

.1 

30.43 

.1 

26.72 

.1 

23.24 

.1 

19.90 

.2 

30.34 

.2 

26.63 

.2 

23.16 

.2 

19.82 

.3 

30.24 

.3 

26.54 

.3 

23.08 

.3 

19.74 

.4 

30.14 

.4 

26.45 

.4 

22.99 

.4 

19.66 

.5 

30.05 

.5 

26.36 

.5 

22.91 

.5 

19.58 

.6 

29.95 

.6 

26.27 

.6 

22.82 

.6 

19.50 

.7 

29.86 

.7 

26.18 

.7 

22.74 

.7 

19.42 

.8 

29.76 

.8 

26.09 

.8 

22.66 

.8 

19.34 

.9 

29.67 

.9 

26.00 

.9 

22.57 

.9 

19.26 

XIO.O 

29.58 

114.0 

25.91 

118.0 

22.49 

122. O 

19.18 

.1 

29.48 

.1 

25.82 

.1 

22.40 

.1 

19.10 

.2 

29.39 

.2 

25.73 

.2 

22.32 

.2 

19.02 

.3 

29.29 

.3 

25.64 

.3 

22.24 

.3 

18.94 

.4 

29.20 

.4 

25.55 

.4 

22.15 

.4 

18.86 

.6 

29.10 

.5 

25.46 

.5 

22.07 

.5 

18.78 

.6 

29.00 

.6 

25.38 

, .6 

21.98 

.6 

18.70 

.7 

28.91 

.7 

25.30 

.7 

21.90 

.7 

18.62 

.8 

28.81 

.8 

25.21 

.8 

21.82 

.8 

18.54 

.9 

28.71 

.9 

25.13 

.9 

21.73 

9 

18.46 


196 


























Timb Allowance.— Continued . 

Elating. 

Allow- 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow* 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

123.0 

18.38 

I27.O 

15.29 

131.0 

12.36 

135*0 

9.54 

.1 

18.30 

.1 

15.21 

.1 

12.28 

.1 

9.47 

.2 

18.22 

.2 

15.13 

.2 

12.20 

.2 

9.40 

.3 

18.14 

.3 

15.05 

.3 

12.13 

.3 

9.33 

.4 

18.06 

.4 

14.98 

.4 

12.06 

.4 

9.26 

.5 

17.98 

.5 

14.90 

.5 

11.99 

.5 

9.19 

.6 

17.90 

.6 

14.83 

.6 

11.92 

.6 

9.13 

.7 

17.82 

.7 

14.76 

.7 

11.85 

.7 

9.06 

.8 

17.74 

.8 

14.69 

.8 

11.78 

.8 

8.99 

.9 

17.66 

.9 

14.62 

.9 

11.71 

.9 

8.92 

124.0 

17.58 

128.0 

14.54 

132.0 

11.64 

136.0 

8.86 

.1 

17.50 

.1 

14.46 

.1 

11.57 

.1 

8.79 

.2 

17.42 

.2 

14.39 

.2 

11.50 

.2 

8.72 

.3 

17.36 

.3 

14.32 

.3 

11.43 

.3 

8.65 

.4 

17.28 

.4 

14.24 

.4 

11.36 

.4 

8.58 

.5 

17.20 

.5 

14.17 

.5 

11.29 

.5 

8.52 

.6 

17.12 

.6 

14.10 

.6 

11.22 

.6 

8.45 

.7 

17.04 

.7 

14.03 

.7 

11.15 

.7 

8.38 

.8 

16.97 

.8 

13.96 

.8 

11.08 

.8 

8.31 

.9 

16.90 

'.9 

13.88 

.9 

11.01 

.9 

8.24 

125.0 

16.82 

129.0 

13.81 

133*0 

10.94 

i37*o 

8.18 

.1 

16.74 

.1 

13.73 

.1 

10.87 

.1 

8.11 

.2 

16.66 

.2 

13.66 

.2 

10.80 

.2 

8.05 

.3 

16.58 

.3 

13.58 

.3 

10.73 

.3 

7.98 

.4 

16.50 

.4 

13.51 

.4 

10.66 

.4 

7.91 

.5 

16.43 

.5 

13.44 

.5 

10.59 

.5 

7.84 

.6 

16.36 

.6 

13.37 

.6 

10.52 

.6 

7.78 

.7 

16.28 

.7 

13.30 

.7 

10.45 

.7 

7.71 

.8 

16.21 

.8 

13.22 

.8 

10.38 

-.8 

7.64 

.9 

16.14 

.9 

13.15 

.9 

10.31 

.9 

7.57 

126.0 

16.06 

130*0 

13.08 

134.0 

10.24 

138.0 

7.51 

.1 

15.98 

.1 

13.00 

.1 

10.17 

.1 

7.44 

.2 

15.90 

.2 

12.92 

.2 

10.10 

.2 

7.38 

.3 

15.82 

.3 

12.85 

.3 

10.03 

.3 

7.31 

.4 

15.74 

.4 

12.78 

.4 

9.96 

.4 

7.25 

.5 

15.66 

.5 

12.71 

.5 

9.89 

.5 

7.18 

.6 

15.59 

.6 

12.64 

.6 

9.82 

.6 

7.11 

.7 

15.52 

.7 

12.57 

.7 

9.75 

.7 

7.05 

.8 

15.44 

.8 

12.50 

.8 

9.68 

.8 

6.98 

L_! 

15.37 

.9 

12.43 

.9 

9.61 

.9 

6.91 


197 





























Time Allowance. — Concluded . 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

Rating. 

Allow¬ 

ance. 

I39.O 

6.85 

I42.O 

4.90 

145.0 

3.02 

148.O 

1.19 

.1 

6.78 

.1 

4.83 

.1 

2.95 

.1 

1.13 

,2 

6.72 

.2 

4.77 

.2 

2.89 

.2 

1.07 

.3 

6.65 

.3 

4.70 

.3 

2.82 

.3 

1.01 

.4 

6.59 

.4 

4.64 

.4 

2.76 

.4 

0.95 

.5 

6.52 

.5 

4.57 

.5 

2.70 

.5 

0.89 

.6 

6.45 

.6 

4.51 

.6 

2.64 

.6 

0.83 

.7 

6.39 

.7 

4.44 

.7 

2.58 

.7 

0.77 

.8 

6.32 

.8 

4.38 

.8 

2.52 

.8 

0.71 

.9 

6.25 

.9 

4.32 

.9 

2.46 

.9 

0.65 

140.0 

6.19 

143.0 

4.26 

146.0 

2.40 

149.0 

0.59 

.1 

6.12 

.1 

4.19 

.1 

2.33 

.1 

0.53 

.2 

6.06 

.2 

4.13 

.2 

2.27 

.2 

0.47 

.3 

5.99 

.3 

4.06 

.3 

2.21 

.3 

0.41 

.4 

5.93 

.4 

4.00 

.4 

2.15 

.4 

0.35 

.5 

5.86 

.5 

3.94 

.5 

2.09 

.5 

0.29 

.6 

5.80 

.6 

3.88 

.6 

2.03 

.6 

0.23 

.7 

5.73 

.7 

3.82 

.7 

1.97 

.7 

0.17 

.8 

5.67 

.8 

3.76 

.8 

1.91 

.8 

0.11 

.9 

5.60 

.9 

.3.70 

.9 

1.85 

.9 

0.05 

141.0 

5.54 

144.0 

3.64 

147.0 

1.79 

150-0 

0.00 

.1 

5.47 

.1 

3.57 

.1 

1.73 


.2 

5.41 

.2 

3.51 

.2 

1.67 



.3 

5.34 

.3 

3.44 

.3 

1.61 



.4 

5.28 

.4 

3.38 

.4 

1.55 



.5 

5.21 

.5 

3.32 

.5 

1.49 



.6 

5.15 

.6 

3.26 

.6 

1.43 



.7 

5.08 

.7 

3.20 

.7 

1.37 



.8 

5.02 

.8 

3.14 

.8 

1.31 



.9 

4.96 

.9 

3.08 

.9 

1.25 




198 




























INDEX 


Abbreviations, 6 
Accident to a Person, 49, 107 
Accommodation Ladder, 52 
Address of Owner, 56 
Aground, .Running, 51 
Alterations, 119 

Altered Helm for Rounding, 
96 

Altering Course, 72, 78, 82, 86, 
89, 91, 95 

Amenable to Rules, 59 
Amendments to Rules, 122 
Anchor, 42, 53 
Anchoring, 50 
Appeal, 36, 112 
Ballast, 42 
Battens, 27 

Bearing Away, 83, 86, 88, 118 
Beaufort Wind Scale, 6 
Bermudian Rig, 25 
Boarding and Leaving, 49 
Boat, Launching a, 107 
Boats, 41, 53 

Bridging Concavity, 22, 29 
Bulkheads, 42 
Cables, 42, 53, 73 
Certificate of Measurer, 32, 34, 
35 

Changes in Rules, 2 
Channel Buoys, 155 
Claiming Right-of-Way, 73, 91 
Classes, Handicap, 12 
Classification of Yachts, 37 
Clear, 66 

Close-Hauled, 65, 78 
Club Member on Board, 51 
Committee Boat not a Mark, 
58, 116 

Committee, Number on, 5 
Committeeman 5, 36 


Concavity, Bridging of, 22, 29 
Conferences of Clubs, 2, 16 
Corinthian, 48 
Courtesy in Passing, 105 
Crew, 47, 53 
Crossing Finish Line, 60 
Cruising Trim, 52, 151 
Damages, Pay all, 118 
Danger or Risk of Fouling, 67, 
69, 71, 82, 84, 87, 120, 157 
Davits, 52 
Head Heat, 121 
Decisions on Frotests, 145 to 
187 

Definition of Catboat, 29 

“ of Clear, 69 

“ of Close-Hauled, 65 

“ of Corinthianism, 48 

“ of Ketch and Yawl, 

29 

“ of Luffing, 72 

“ of Mark, 72 

“ of Overlapping and 

Clear, 66 

“ of Overtaking, 69 

“ of Proper Course, 

17 

“ of Sloop and 

Schooner, 29 
“ of Wind-Aft, 66 

Designer’s Drawings, 33 
Deviation from Proper Course, 
4, 17 

Diameter of Chain Cables, 43 

Displacement, 28, 29 

Disqualified, 119 

Dividing a Prize, 107, 59, 121 

Draft, Limit of, 28 

Drag on Anchor Cable, 43 

Drawn Clear, 69, 71, 89 


199 



Endanger Life, 107, 108 
Ensign, 116, 149 
Entry, 34, 54, 55 
Error in Instructions, 58, 153 
Error in Measurement, 35 
Establish an Overlap, 95, 162 
Fair Sailing, 36, 74, 119 
Finish, Start and, 60 
First Regatta, 1 
Fixtures and Fittings, 42 
Flag, 116, 149 
Floors, 42 
Fog Signals, 50 
Force a Passage, 95, 97, 162 
Formula for Calculating Time 
Allowance, 9 

Fouling a Buoy, Pier, Vessel, 
etc., 51 

Fouling, Danger or Risk of, 
67, 69, 71, 82, 84, 87, 120, 157 
Fouling a Mark, 60, 73, 118 
Free, 65, 78, 79 

Fundamental Principles, 16, 61 
Galley Fixtures, 42, 52 
Gracie-Volunteer Protest, 102 
Gybing, 65, 87, 116 
Hailing, 52, 101, 104 
Handicap Classes, 12 
Handicapping, 7 
Hard Taut, 24 
Hawsers, 44 

Hearing on Protests, 145 
Heave-to, 94 
Infringe any Rule, 119 
Injury to Person, 49 
Instructions, 5, 54, 56, 73 
Instructions, Error in, 58 
Instructions to Measurer, 123 
International Racing Rules 
Adopted, 2 

Intervals between Signals, 63 
Launching a Boat, 107 
Leaving Marks, 57 
Leaving a Yacht, 49 
Leeward, Passing to, 87, 88 
Leeward Yacht Luffing, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86 


Letter of Protest, 113, 145, 177 
Life Buoys, 41 
Lights, 50 

Limits and Penalties, 28 
Luffing, 66, 72, 78, 89, 94, 118 
Lug Foresail, 41 
Man Overboard, 49, 108 
Manila Hemp Cable, 44 
Marconi Rig, 25 
Mark, 72, 81, 95, 97, 100 
Mark, Wrecking or Shifting 
of, 106 

Marks on Hull, 19 
Marks, Leaving, Turning, 57, 
95 

Measurement Rule, 18, 123 
Measurer’s Certificate, 32 
Nearly the Same Course, 66, 71 
New Course, Rights on, 91 
Not Fairly Rated, 33 
Number on Committee, 5 
Number of Crew, 47 
Number, Racing, 49 
Obstruction to Sea Room, 73, 
94, 100, 118, 166, 179 
One-Gun Starts, 63 
Overlapping, 66, 67, 69, 88, 95 
Overtaking, 69, 71, 72, 83, 85, 
88 

Owner’s Address, 56 
Passing to Leeward, 87, 88 
Passing to Windward, 84 
Past a Mark, 81, 90 
Penalties, Limits and, 28 
Periods of a Race, 16 
Point Scoring, 132 
Port Tack, 79, 94, 157, 171, 186 
Postponed Race, 42, 109 
Postponed Starts, 63 
Power, 51 

Principles, Fundamental, 16 
Principles of Right-of-Way, 77 
Private Signal, 50 
Prizes, 121 

Professional Sailing Masters, 
121 


200 




Proper Course, 3, 17, 76, 86, 
89, 90 

Proper Hand to Leave Marks, 
57 

Propulsion, 50 

Protest, 3, 18, 76, 78, 80, 82, 85, 
95, 100, 102, 108, 111, 120, 
130, 145 

Protest Flag, 112, 118 
Quarter Beam Length, 20, 131 
Questions between Yachts, 95 
Racing Rules Drafted, 16 
Racing-Speed Curve, 11 
Racing Trim, 40 
Rating, Measurement, Deter¬ 
mination of, 19 
Reaching or Running, 65 
Remeasurement, 34, 35, 111, 
119 

Resailed Race, 42, 107, 108, 109, 
122 

Returning to Starting Line, 74, 
76 

Right-of-Way, 64, 73, 74, 77, 
78 

Risk or Danger of Fouling, 67, 
69, 71, 82, 84, 87, 94, 120, 157 
Rounding a Mark, 95, 96, 97, 
115 

Running Aground, 51, 118 
Sail Area, 23, 125, 

Sail Over Prize, 54, 144 
Sailing Instructions, 5, 55, 56, 
73 

Sailing Masters, Professional, 
121 

Sailing off the Wind, 65 
Sails Allowed, 40, 53 
Same Course, Nearly the, 66, 
71, 96 

Scantlings, 29, 123 
Scoring Points, 132 
Sea Room, 73, 94, 99, 100, 166, 
179i 

Series Racing, 132 
Shifting of a Mark, 106 


Shortening Course, 110 

Signals, 50 

Sounding, 51 

Speed Curve, 11 

Spinnaker, 26, 27, 41 

Square Sail, 27 

Starboard Tack, 79, 94, 157, 

^ 171, 186 

Start and Finish, 60 
Starting before Signal, 63 
Starting Signals, 63 
Steering off Proper Course, 3, 
^ 17, 78, 81, 88 
Suspension of Rules, 122 
Tack, Same, 65, 72 
Tack, Starboard and Port, 79, 
95 

Tacking Down Wind, 3 
Tanks, Water, 42 
Taut, Hard, 24 
Testimony, 146 
Tie, 104, 144 
Time Allowance, 7, 40 
Time Allowance Based on 
Elapsed Time, 12 
Time Allowance, Calculation 
of, 8 

Time Allowance Table, 188 
Time Intervals, 63 
Time Limit, 109, 110 
Time Taken, 59, 61 
Touching a Mark, 118 
Volunteer-Gracie Protest, 102 
Warning Signal, 63 
Warp, Circumference of, 47 
Water Tanks, 42 
Weather Conditions, 109 
Weight of Anchor, 42 
Whistle, 64 
Wind-Aft, 66 
Wind Scale, 6 
Windward, Passing to, 84 
Women as Crew, 48 
Wrecking of a Mark, 106 
Wrong Side of Line, 74, 78 
Yacht Timing Herself, 61 
Yachting Season, 35, 121 


2C1 



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